A local court in Shimla on Monday remanded suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pankaj Sharma to one-day custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the mysterious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer Vimal Negi. Sharma, the first person arrested by the federal agency in the high-profile case, was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM). Although the CBI sought a five-day remand to interrogate him on evidence tampering allegations, the court approved only 24 hours.

Negi, who joined HPPCL on June 15, 2024, went missing from his Shimla office on March 10, 2025, and his body was recovered eight days later from the Shahtalai area in Gobind Sagar Lake, Bilaspur district. A postmortem indicated he had died around five days prior to discovery, prompting suspicions of foul play. Sharma, who initially recovered Negi's pen drive and documents from the scene, faces charges of formatting the device and deleting critical data, potentially linked to irregularities in a multi-crore solar power project in Una district. Sources suggest his actions could implicate superiors who allegedly directed the tampering.

Negi's wife, Kiran Negi, alleged her husband endured six months of mental harassment and misbehavior from senior officers, including HPPCL Director (Electrical) Desh Raj and Managing Director Harikesh Meena, who face abetment to suicide charges under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The case, initially probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Himachal Pradesh Police led by Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, drew criticism for lapses, including the hidden pen drive. Kiran petitioned the Himachal Pradesh High Court, which on May 23, 2025, transferred the investigation to the CBI, barring state cadre officers from involvement to ensure impartiality.

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The CBI registered an FIR on May 27, 2025, and formed a three-member team to probe the matter, questioning numerous witnesses, including Negi's family. A fact-finding inquiry by Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Sharma uncovered discrepancies in project allotments and workplace harassment. Sharma was suspended on May 19, just days before the CBI takeover, heightening scrutiny. The arrest, made Sunday in Shimla, is seen as pivotal, potentially unraveling a broader network of alleged corruption and cover-up.

The case has ignited political tensions in Himachal Pradesh, with the opposition BJP accusing the Congress government of politicizing the tragedy, while the CPI(M) called for a judicial probe over CBI impartiality concerns. As the remand proceeds, the investigation continues to expose rifts within the state police and power sector.

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