The Himachal Pradesh High Court has granted bail to senior bureaucrat Harikesh Meena, a 2012 batch IAS officer, in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case concerning the mysterious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) chief engineer Vimal Negi. The court made absolute the interim protection it had earlier provided to the former managing director of HPPCL.
Court's Reasoning for Granting Bail
A single-judge bench of Justice Virender Singh delivered the order, observing that while a valuable life has been lost, the applicant cannot be penalized at the pre-trial stage merely on that ground. The court emphasized that the alleged role of Meena in the offence would be determined during the trial.
Significantly, the bench noted that similar allegations were levelled against a co-accused, Director (Electrical) Deshraj Singh, who had already been granted relief by the Supreme Court. The principle of parity, therefore, weighed in favour of Meena. The court also pointed out that the trial is unlikely to begin or conclude soon as the investigation is still ongoing.
Bail Conditions and Legal Arguments
The court ordered Meena's release on bail in the event of his arrest, directing him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety of the like amount. The bail is subject to strict conditions: he must join the investigation when required, not leave India without court permission, not influence witnesses, and attend all trial proceedings regularly.
During the hearing, Meena's defence argued that he is an IAS officer with deep roots in society and poses no flight risk. They contended that to establish an offence under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), there must be clear instigation close to the time of the alleged suicide, which they claim is absent. The defence also highlighted that Meena was not named in the First Information Report (FIR) and had only received a notice to join the probe.
Background of the Case
The case stems from the mysterious death of HPPCL chief engineer Vimal Negi. Negi disappeared from Shimla on March 10, and his body was found under unexplained circumstances on the banks of the Gobind Sagar lake in Bilaspur district on March 18. Following this, a case was registered at the New Shimla police station under relevant sections of the BNS on March 18.
The High Court clarified that its observations are limited to the bail application and should not be seen as an opinion on the case's merits. It also granted liberty to the CBI to seek cancellation of bail if Meena violates any conditions.
