Shimla, March 22,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday heard the bail plea of Desh Raj, one of the accused in the alleged abetment to suicide case of HPPCL General Manager Vimal Negi. The matter came up before Justice Virender Singh, who directed the state and prosecution to submit a status report before the next hearing scheduled for March 24, 2025.
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Issuing the order, the court stated: “Notice. Ms. Ranjna Patial, learned Deputy Advocate General, appears and waives service of notice on behalf of the respondent-State. Status report filed. Be taken on record. List for consideration on 24.03.2025. In the meanwhile, the IO is directed to file the supplementary status report.”
The hearing witnessed strong legal representation from both sides. Additional Advocates General Mohinder Zharaick and H.S. Rawat, along with Deputy Advocate General Ranjna Patial, appeared for the respondent state. The prosecution was further reinforced by Additional Superintendent of Police Navdeep Singh and Inspector Manoj Kumar of New Shimla Police Station.
The case has drawn significant public attention amid allegations that Negi was under extreme workplace pressure prior to his death. In response to growing concerns and demands for an impartial investigation, the police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the circumstances leading to his demise.
The legal proceedings have placed increased scrutiny on HPPCL’s management and organizational environment. Employees and stakeholders are closely monitoring the case, as the SIT continues its investigation.
The upcoming hearing on March 24 is expected to play a critical role in determining the progress of the case and the outcome of Desh Raj’s bail petition.
