Shimla, May 15 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh High Court has extended the interim bail of former HPPCL managing director Harikesh Meena till May 29 in connection with the suspicious death of chief engineer Vimal Negi.

The matter was listed before the bench of Justice Verinder Singh on Thursday.

During Thursday's hearing, the state submitted that critical forensic reports from the State Forensic Laboratory (SFL), Junga are still awaited and are likely to take more time.

The bench of Justice Virender Singh granted further time to the investigating agency and listed the matter for the next hearing on May 29.

The wife of Vimal Negi has also moved a separate petition in the High Court seeking a transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The victim's family has expressed doubts over the impartiality of the current Special Investigation Team and urged the court to hand over the probe to the Central agency for a fair inquiry.

A report was also submitted by the Onkar Sharma committee on the mysterious case of abetment to suicide by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation chief engineer, but it was found inconclusive by the state government.

As per the SIT’s earlier status report submitted on May 2, former HPPCL Director (Electrical) Deshraj had made 463 calls to Negi between April 1 and March 10 — the day he went missing. Former MD Harikesh Meena made 7 calls, and Director (Administration) Shivam Pratap Singh made 53 calls.

However, while the mobiles of Deshraj and Meena have been seized and sent for forensic analysis, there is no mention of any seizure of Singh’s mobile device.

Negi’s body was recovered from Govind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur on March 18. His wife had earlier written to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu alleging that harassment by senior HPPCL officials drove her husband to death. Based on her complaint, a case was registered at New Shimla Police Station.

Despite several efforts, the deceased’s mobile phone has still not been found. Divers were deployed in Govind Sagar Lake to search for the device, but without success. The police believe the phone could hold crucial evidence.

The High Court would now hear both the interim bail plea and the new petition for a CBI investigation on May 29.

UNI ML PRS