Shimla, Apr 9,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has continued the interim relief in the matter of former Managing Director HPPPCL Harikesh Meena, restraining the police from taking any coercive action against the applicant in connection with the FIR under question. The matter was listed for consideration before the court on April 9, 2025, and is now adjourned to May 2, for further proceedings.
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” Interim order to continue,” directed Justice Virender Singh in a order.
The applicant appeared in person, represented by Senior Advocate N.S. Chandel, assisted by Advocate Vinod K. Gupta. On behalf of the State, Additional Advocates General Mohinder Zharaick and Tejasvi Sharma appeared, assisted by Dy.S.P. City Vikram Chauhan and the Station House Officer of Police Station New Shimla. Advocates Rajiv Rai and Vivekanand Negi represented the complainant.
Also read:HPPCL GM Vimal Negi death case: Supreme Court grants Interim relief to Desh Raj
During the proceedings, a supplementary status report was submitted and taken on record. Presiding the matter Justice Virender Singh, ordered that the interim protection granted earlier will remain in force until the next date of hearing.
Notably, on April 7, Deputy Advocate General Rohit Sharma appeared on behalf of the respondent/State and waived the formal service of notice. The status report submitted by the State on that date was also accepted and taken on record.
The court has directed that no coercive action shall be taken by the police or the investigating officer against the applicant until further orders.
Noteworthy that Meena, along with co-accused Desh Raj—also a senior HPPCL official—was booked by the State police following the recovery of Vimal Negi’s body from Govind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur on March 18. Negi had been missing since March 10. The deceased’s family has alleged that workplace harassment led to his death.
On April 4, the Supreme Court had granted interim relief to Desh Raj, with a direction that no coercive steps be taken against him until the next hearing on July 22, 2025. The order was passed by a bench comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, in response to Raj’s anticipatory bail plea.
