New Twist in Vimal Negi Case: SP Sanjeev Gandhi Files Personal Appeal in High Court

Shimla, June 2:
The mysterious death of Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation, has taken a fresh turn. Following the transfer of the case to the CBI, Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi has filed a personal appeal in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. In his Letter Patent Appeal (LPA), Gandhi has defended the earlier investigation carried out by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and requested the court to re-evaluate its findings.

Earlier, on May 30, Gandhi had attempted to file an appeal in his capacity as Superintendent of Police, but it was rejected due to procedural objections. He has now moved the court in his personal capacity while on medical leave. His counsel, Advocate Jagdish Thakur, confirmed that the appeal was filed solely as a private citizen. The petition urges the court to treat the SIT’s report as a privileged document and to consider its conclusions afresh.

Questions Raised on CBI Probe, Demand for Independent SIT

In his appeal, Gandhi has expressed concern over the impartiality of the investigation, noting that the CBI and other central agencies operate under the Union government. To ensure an unbiased probe, he has requested the court to form an independent SIT under its own supervision. He has also asked the court to summon all relevant case records and documents so the full truth can emerge.

Allegations Against Former DGP

The appeal levels serious allegations against former Director General of Police Dr. Atul Verma, questioning the credibility of the affidavit he submitted to the court. Gandhi has claimed that the affidavit was biased and intended to discredit the SIT’s investigation. He has urged the court to strike the affidavit from the record and nullify any comments or observations based on it.

Personal Initiative, Not a Government Appeal

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has already clarified that the state government will not challenge the High Court’s order to hand over the investigation to the CBI. Therefore, Gandhi’s appeal is being viewed as a strictly personal move with no official backing.

Government Action Following Court Orders

The High Court had handed the case to the CBI after hearing a petition filed by Kiran Negi, the late engineer’s wife, citing discrepancies and lapses in the police investigation. The court also noted significant contradictions between the SIT’s report and the affidavit filed by the former DGP.

Following the court’s directives, the state government acted swiftly, sending DGP Atul Verma, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Omkar Sharma, and SP Sanjeev Gandhi on leave. Verma has since retired as of May 31, while responsibilities of the other two officers have been reassigned.

Background of the Case

Vimal Negi went missing under mysterious circumstances on March 10. Eight days later, his body was recovered from Gobind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur. The case was initially investigated by an SIT of Shimla Police for over a month and a half. However, Negi’s wife alleged bias in the probe and approached the High Court, which eventually ordered a CBI inquiry. A CBI team is now in Shimla and has taken custody of the entire case file.