States » NorthPosted at: Jun 16 2025 12:50AM


Himachal: Govt transfers IAS officers amid bail hearing in HPPCL official suicide case

Shimla, June 15 (UNI) A day ahead of the bail hearing of IAS officer Harikesh Meena in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the state government has appointed him as Special Secretary (Youth Services and Sports).
Meena, who was under scrutiny in connection with the alleged abetment to suicide of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) Chief Engineer Vimal Negi, had earlier secured interim protection from coercive action.
Vimal Negi’s wife has accused Harikesh Meena, fellow IAS officer Shivam Pratap Singh, and Director (Electrical) Desh Raj of mentally harassing her husband, driving him to take the extreme step.
Desh Raj has also been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court till next month. Both Meena and Desh Raj are being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation over alleged irregularities during their tenure at HPPCL, including awarding tenders to Gujarat-based firms in violation of norms.
In a related administrative reshuffle, the government has significantly curtailed the powers of Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Onkar Chand Sharma. He has been divested of crucial portfolios such as Revenue, Appeals, and Financial Commissioner (Revenue). These responsibilities have now been handed over to Kamlesh Kumar Pant, who will also hold charge of Home, Vigilance, and Forest.
Notably, Sharma was part of the one-member in-house inquiry committee that probed Vimal Negi's death and held senior HPPCL officials accountable.
Sources indicate that his neutral stance in the report and resistance to objections raised by the Chief Secretary led to his forced leave and the subsequent stripping of key departments. He is expected to return on Monday and would now serve as Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board.
The timing of these changes, especially the reinstatement of Meena and sidelining of Sharma, has raised eyebrows within the bureaucratic circles. The political undertones suggest that the state government is keen to recalibrate its narrative ahead of further legal proceedings and CBI findings in the high-profile HPPCL case.
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