Shimla, Mar 20 (UNI) The Opposition BJP staged a walkout from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly during the question hour on Thursday, demanding a CBI probe and the suspension of business to discuss the mysterious death of Vimal Negi, the former General Manager of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL).

As the Assembly convened for the Question Hour, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania informed that BJP member Randhir Sharma and others had submitted a notice under Rule 67 to discuss the demise of Vimal Negi. The Speaker also mentioned that the Chief Minister had made a statement on the issue the previous day and suggested that the matter could be discussed in depth during the budget discussion.

Opposition leader Jai Ram Thakur, while demanding a CBI probe, stated that discussion should take place, and described the death of Vimal Negi as a highly unfortunate and burning issue. Thakur added that he had met the deceased’s family the previous day.

He accused the government of protecting the main officer implicated in the case, claiming that although Desh Raj, who was suspended by the government, had been replaced, the officer blamed by the family members was not named in the FIR.

Thakur also highlighted the officer’s alleged involvement in irregularities in the ShongTong Project. He criticised the government’s actions, stating that the family was dissatisfied with the state’s response and called for a fair probe by the CBI. He questioned the promotion of an officer by superseding many senior officers.

Thakur further stated that the government had only lodged an FIR after pressure from the family and that only one officer, Desh Raj, had been placed under suspension. He pointed out that despite the government’s assurances, the Managing Director had not been suspended.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan responded by saying that the issue had already been addressed in the Assembly, and the Chief Minister had provided a detailed statement the day before.

He emphasised that the government had taken appropriate action, with four ministers deployed on behalf of the Chief Minister to address the concerns of the family. Chauhan argued that the adjournment motion should not be allowed as the family members were satisfied with the government's actions.

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi also weighed in, stating that the matter was of utmost importance to the government. He mentioned that the entire administrative machinery had been mobilised to trace Vimal Negi once he was reported missing.

He further added that following the family’s complaint on Wednesday, action was taken against the officers concerned, who were not only removed but also booked for the GM's death under the abetment to suicide.

Negi stressed that the family had expressed satisfaction with the government’s response and clarified that the Leader of Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, had not raised the issue of a CBI probe in the Assembly the day before.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also defended the government’s actions, mentioning that it had acted swiftly in other matters, such as the Mandi hooch tragedy and the police paper leak, where FIRs were lodged within 12 hours. Sukhu remarked that BJP’s call for a CBI probe appeared politically motivated. He said that family members of the deceased met him.

Earlier in the session, BJP member Randhir Sharma raised concerns about the government’s handling of the case, noting that while Desh Raj’s name appeared in the FIR, the name of the Managing Director, who was also accused by the family, was conspicuously missing. Sharma called for clarification from the government regarding this discrepancy and emphasized the need for transparency in the investigation. UNI ML SSP