Shimla's Negi Mystery: HPPCL Engineer's Death Raises Corruption Storm, Sukhu Govt Cornered
Shimla, April 17: The mysterious death of HPPCL Chief Engineer Vimal Negi has snowballed into a full-blown political and administrative storm, with mounting pressure on the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government to act against high-level officials allegedly linked to a corruption racket in the state-run Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL).
Negi’s body was recovered from Bhakra Dam on March 18, days after he allegedly went missing. Initial claims of suicide have now been overshadowed by damning revelations from two key probes – one by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), and the other by a high-level administrative inquiry headed by Additional Chief Secretary Onkar Chand Sharma.
Both inquiries reportedly converge on a chilling common thread: unbearable pressure on Negi by top HPPCL brass to sign off on files linked to the 35 MW Pekhubela solar power project – a project now under the scanner for alleged massive irregularities.
According to SIT "findings" and Sharma Committee report submitted to CM Sukhu, the pressure came from none other than HPPCL Managing Director Harikesh Meena and Director Desraj – allegedly pushing Negi to sign documents he wasn’t comfortable with.
The documents, if signed, could have given post-facto approval to inflated project costs, facilitating kickbacks and favoring select contractors, sources familiar with the case claim.
The HPPCL MD, Meena, who chaired meetings both in Shimla and Delhi, is reportedly also under the lens in the controversial revision of costs in the 420 MW Shongtong Hydel Project, where an additional crores of rupees was allegedly cleared without adequate technical justification.
The Power Engineers’ Association too has raised alarm bells, demanding transparency and a thorough audit of project escalations.
Despite these red flags, only Desraj has been suspended so far — and even he managed to get interim relief from the Supreme Court until July.
Meanwhile, the Himachal High Court has granted a reprieve to Meena, rejecting SIT’s plea for custodial interrogation.
The move has further intensified public anger and frustration, especially from Negi’s family and civil society groups.
Kitan, Negi’s wife, supported by BJP leaders and local citizens, has been vociferously demanding a CBI inquiry, citing a clear conflict of interest if the probe remains in the hands of state agencies.
“This is not just about my husband. This is about systemic rot. He was an honest officer — pushed to his death for refusing to become part of a racket,” she told reporters.
The opposition BJP has also stepped up the heat, accusing the Sukhu government of shielding “big fish” in the name of procedural delays.
“This is no longer a case of one suspicious death — this is a state-sponsored cover-up,” said a BJP spokesperson.
With protests growing louder and citizens beginning to rally for justice, the ball is now in CM Sukhu’s court.
His government’s hesitation to suspend Meena or recommend a CBI probe is being seen as a lack of political will — or worse, complicity.
If action doesn’t come fast, this case might not just haunt HPPCL — it could snowball into a defining moment of accountability in Himachal’s governance.
