The Himachal Pradesh High Court has made absolute the interim bail granted to senior IAS officer Harikesh Meena, who is facing allegations of abetment to suicide in the tragic death of former HPPCL chief engineer Vimal Negi. The court's decision, delivered by Justice Virender Singh on Wednesday, prevents Meena from returning to judicial custody while the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continues its probe.
Court's Reasoning for Granting Bail
In its detailed order, the court observed that rejecting the bail plea of the accused officer would serve no meaningful purpose at this stage. Justice Singh noted that the investigation is ongoing and the trial is likely to take a considerable amount of time. The court explicitly stated that while the loss of life is deeply tragic, Harikesh Meena cannot be punished prior to the conclusion of the trial solely on that basis.
The bench also took into account the fact that similar allegations have been levelled against co-accused Desh Raj, the director (electrical) at HPPCL. The Supreme Court had already granted bail to Desh Raj on November 17. Considering these overall circumstances, the court concluded that continued custody for Meena was unwarranted.
The CBI's Allegations and Project Details
Presenting its arguments against the bail, the CBI informed the court that its investigation points to "humiliation, insult, and harassment" faced by the deceased engineer as the cause that compelled him to end his life. The agency's case centres on the 32 MW Pekhubela Solar Power Project in Una district.
The CBI submitted that after Vimal Negi was handed over the supervision of this project on June 15, 2024, he and another official, Bipan Guleria, were pressurised by Harikesh Meena and Desh Raj to issue a completion certificate despite pending work. Under this alleged pressure, a completion certificate was issued on June 20, 2024, backdated to April 15, 2024, to the contractor. The massive project, spread over 49 hectares, was completed at an estimated cost of Rs 220 crore.
The investigating agency also highlighted that crucial forensic reports are still awaited. It argued that granting bail would deprive it of the right to custodial interrogation of Meena if required after analysing the pending forensic evidence.
Case Background and Judicial Scrutiny
The case has a complex history. Former chief engineer Vimal Negi went missing on March 10, and his body was recovered near the Gobind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur on March 18. His family had directly accused senior HPPCL officials, Harikesh Meena and Desh Raj, of harassing him prior to his death.
Initially probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Shimla Police, the case was transferred to the CBI on May 23 after the High Court raised serious concerns about the quality of the initial investigation. The court's confirmation of bail comes after it had initially granted interim bail to Meena on April 7.
While making the bail absolute, Justice Virender Singh clarified that the CBI remains free to approach the court if Harikesh Meena violates any of the conditions imposed with his bail. The legal process continues as the central agency works to complete its investigation into the circumstances leading to the engineer's suicide.
