Latest news with #Sukhu-led
The Print
a day ago
- Politics
- The Print
CM Sukhu should resign on moral grounds: BJP
In a press statement issued by Nanda, he said that if CM Sukhu is not able to run the government then he should step aside and let the BJP run the government in the state. Nanda said that the law and order in the state is in doldrums and CM Sukhu, who is also the Home Minister of the state, should resign on moral grounds. Shimla, Jul 2 (PTI) BJP state media in-charge Karna Nanda on Wednesday lashed out at Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government over Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh allegedly beating up National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) official. Nanda further said that a government employee of NHAI, Jindal, was allegedly assaulted by the panchayati raj minister of Himachal Pradesh along with six other associates which is a highly condemnable act. 'When the employees' union raised the issue with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, he wrote a letter to the CM seeking an appropriate action. Although an FIR was lodged against the minister, it was under minor charges. As a result, the minister, who is now agitated, is making baseless statements,' he said. He further said, 'The actions and statements of the minister are more like those of a thug or a local panchayat head. The minister doesn't even seem to trust the state's law and order, which is why he took the matter in his own hands. If there was any truth to the allegations made by him, he should have filed a complaint in the first place.' PTI/COR MNK MNK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Himachal CM says govt will cooperate with CBI in Vimal Negi death case
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said that his government would not appeal against the recent high court order of handing over the probe into the death of Vimal Negi, the chief engineer of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation, in March to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 'We (the state government) will cooperate with the CBI and share all documents (related to the death). The state government will not appeal against the high court order. Vimal Negi should get justice,' Sukhu said while addressing a press conference in Shimla. In a setback to the Sukhu-led Congress government, the Himachal Pradesh high court bench of Ajay Mohan Goel had on May 23 directed the CBI to take over the probe from the state police's special investigation team (SIT), led by Shimla SP Sanjeev Gandhi. The high court ordered that no Himachal Pradesh-cadre officer should be attached with the CBI team for a fair investigation. Sukhu, however, said: 'I had asked the director general of police (DGP Atul Verma) to hand over the investigation to the CBI. But I don't agree with the high court order that no Himachal Pradesh-cadre officer should be part of the CBI investigation for a fair probe. Vimal Negi's family should get justice and the circumstances that led to his death should be investigated.' Negi went missing on March 10 and his body was recovered from Bhakra Dam in Bilaspur on March 18. His family members sat on a dharna outside the HPPCL office in Shimla with his body the next day, demanding a CBI inquiry but the state government remained adamant on not accepting their plea. Kiran Negi, the deceased's wife, moved the high court seeking the CBI probe. On leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur's demand for his resignation over the death of Vimal Negi and the subsequent 'collapse of constitutional systems' in the state, Sukhu said: 'The BJP is playing politics. The DGP had met me asking for changes in the SIT but I refused as the BJP was doing politics. Indiscipline will not be tolerated.' The CM addressed the press a day after the DGP recommended the suspension of Shimla superintendent of police Gandhi on grounds of misconduct, insubordination, and dereliction of duty. In a letter to the additional chief secretary (home), the DGP wrote, 'In a press conference held by SP Shimla on May 24, he made unsubstantiated and inappropriate allegations against the chief secretary to the government of Himachal Pradesh as well as a constitutional authority in the state.' 'He also made unverified and potentially prejudicial statements regarding the National Security Guards, Government of India, in connection with a matter that is currently under active investigation,' the DGP wrote. He said that these actions have the potential to strain or embarrass the relationship between the central and state governments. Additionally, the DGP sent a video recording of the press conference in a pen drive for perusal and record. On Saturday, SP Gandhi, who was heading the initial SIT into Negi's suspicious death, levelled serious allegations against DGP Verma, accusing him of interference in the investigation, abuse of authority, and obstruction of justice. He alleged that the DGP's office not only attempted to derail the investigation but also sought to manipulate judicial proceedings through false affidavits. 'I was harassed for taking action,' said Gandhi, claiming that he and his team were repeatedly pressured whenever they attempted to act against wrongdoing. 'The DGP's office is directly under scrutiny in several FIRs registered by Shimla Police. The moment we tried to move against powerful elements, the efforts to suppress the investigation intensified,' SP Gandhi said. The SP asserted that despite these hurdles, his team had unearthed critical forensic evidence in the Negi case, including a pen drive that had been tampered with. 'Key digital evidence was formatted, but we managed to retrieve and present it before the high court. The SIT, which was constituted under the DGP's direction, failed to perform its duties,' he said. Gandhi made a scathing observation alleging that the DGP was putting pressure, and also assured justice to the family of the deceased engineer, and also sought protection from the judiciary. 'This is not a personal battle. I am committed to ensuring justice for Vimal Negi's family and to protecting the integrity of the investigations conducted by my team,' the SP said. He said that the SP-led investigation had to withstand resistance from within the force. Gandhi has submitted a formal leave application 'to protect himself and his team from further harassment'. He has also moved the court to ensure that the evidence collected by his team is preserved after the case is transferred to the CBI.
