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A Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Shimla on Tuesday sent suspended Himachal Pradesh Police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pankaj Sharma to judicial custody till September 26 in connection with the death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) Chief Engineer Vimal Negi.
Sharma, arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on September 14, is facing allegations of tampering with prime evidence -- a pendrive belonging to Negi -- by concealing it and allegedly formatting its data. During the hearing, the CBI sought further custodial interrogation, arguing that Sharma needed to be confronted with key witnesses and electronic evidence suspected to have been manipulated. However, Sharma's defence counsel, Piyush Verma, opposed the plea, pointing out that the CBI had earlier informed the Himachal Pradesh High Court through an affidavit that his custodial interrogation was "not required." He further argued that no fresh evidence had been produced to justify an extension of custody. Rejecting Sharma's bail application, the court ordered his judicial custody, marking another development in the ongoing probe into the mysterious death of Chief Engineer Negi. Vimal Negi, a senior engineer with HPPCL, went missing on March 10, 2025. His body was recovered eight days later, on March 18, under suspicious circumstances. The post-mortem indicated he had died roughly five days before discovery, raising doubts that he may have been alive until March 13. The Himachal Pradesh Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to trace Negi's movements between March 10 and March 14, drawing criticism over lapses in the probe. On May 23, 2025, the Himachal Pradesh High Court transferred the case to the CBI, citing deficiencies in the police investigation. The CBI's arrest of ASI Pankaj Sharma on September 14, 2025, marked the first breakthrough in the case. (ANI)
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