The Himachal Pradesh government has suspended Des Raj, Director (Electrical) of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), accused of allegedly ‘torturing’ deceased Vimal Negi, Chief Engineer of the corporation, on the demands of employees and relatives of Negi.
The body of Vimal Negi, who had been missing since March 10, was found in Govind Sagar Lake near Swarghat on Tuesday.
The relatives of a deceased chief engineer of the corporation sat on a dharna demanding the suspension of senior officials and a CBI inquiry into his death.
Negi’s wife said, “It was not a case of suicide but murder, as her husband was allegedly pressed, denied holidays and harassed even when he was unwell and his blood pressure fluctuating.”
The corporation employees and Negi’s relatives have been demanding registration of an FIR against HPPCL Managing Director Hrikesh Meena and Director (Electrical) Des Raj and handing over of the case to the CBI.
The issue also sparked a heated exchange between Congress and BJP MLAs in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha.
The BJP raised the issue by bringing an adjournment motion under Rule 67, seeking clarification from the government about the action taken in case of Negi’s death, and later staged a walkout from the Assembly after the motion was rejected by the Speaker.
Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur demanded a CBI inquiry in the case.
Defending the state government, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “Negi’s family was satisfied with the action of the state government.”
Meanwhile, HPCC President Pratibha Singh, talking to media persons at Mandi, also supported the demand of a CBI probe in the case.
