CPI(M) to CM Sukhu: "Justice for Vimal Negi, Clean-Up the System Now"
Shimla, May 27: The Himachal Pradesh unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has slammed the Congress-led state government for what it calls a “politicisation” of the death of Vimal Negi, and demanded a full-scale judicial probe into the incident.
At a press conference here today addressed by Rakesh Singha, Sanjay Chauhan, Dr Kuldeep Tanwar, Dr Onkar Shad, they expressed their dismay over the way both Congress and Bjp were misleading people of the state.
In a hard-hitting letter to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, CPI(M) state secretary Sanjay Chauhan warned that the state is in the grip of institutionalised corruption — from police recruitment scams to land mafia operations — and that the time has come to act with political will.
“Justice for Vimal Negi can’t just be a political slogan after death. We demand a transparent and just judicial enquiry, not just a symbolic nod to the CBI, which in many cases, including the Gudiya and Hoshiar Singh incidents, failed to deliver justice,” Chauhan stated.
Chauhan reminded the CM that CPI(M) had flagged corruption in the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation even earlier and added that “the CBI probe being pushed now must come with a warning — this agency has a track record of shielding accused in sensitive cases.”
The letter accuses the previous and current governments of allowing corruption to flourish unchecked. “The 2022 police recruitment scam, involving an alleged Rs 200 crore racket, is the most glaring example. The complainant himself was arrested to bury the evidence. Why hasn’t the CBI recovered the bribe money till date?” Chauhan asked.
In a scathing remark, he added, “More than 300 candidates in Kangra alone reportedly bought the question papers for over Rs 2 lakh each. And instead of punishing the corrupt, the system made sure no one dared to complain.”
The CPI(M) also flagged what it called a “land grab under the nose of the Vidhan Sabha” involving nearly 35 bighas belonging to the historic Himalayan Brahmo Samaj Trust. Chauhan alleged that the land and even a temple were “gifted” away illegally with support from top revenue officials and political patronage. “Former DGP Sanjay Kundu became a party to this dispute. The Bar Association of the Himachal Pradesh High Court has already passed a resolution against him,” he noted.
He further alleged that the Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the issue and put a stop to interference with the said land. “Why did the state government not act when the High Court vacated the stay? Who is shielding whom?” Chauhan asked.
Referring to recent incidents in the judiciary, Chauhan highlighted how corruption has crept into the judicial system too. “If a Delhi High Court judge is facing impeachment after burnt currency was found in his premises, and a CBI court judge was caught with a Rs 5 crore bribe, what justice can we expect from such institutions?” he said.
Recalling CPI(M)’s active involvement in the Gudiya and Hoshiar Singh cases, Chauhan said the CBI “was holidaying at Peterhoff” instead of delivering justice. “An 85-lakh bill for their stay — and the culprits walked free. This is the cost of fake justice,” he quipped.
He urged CM Sukhu to “launch a war against corruption and weed out corrupt officials, no matter how powerful.” Chauhan added that CPI(M) will soon form a committee to independently investigate such cases and expose those involved in systemic corruption.
“We can’t allow the nexus of politics, bureaucracy, and crime to hijack the future of our state,” he warned.
