The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has assigned the investigation into the death of Vimal Negi to the CBI. The court specified that no officers from the Himachal Pradesh cadre should be involved in the newly formed Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Negi had taken on a role as General Manager (Electrical/Renewable Energy) at the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited in June 2024. He was reported missing on March 10 and his body was found in the Bhakra Dam in Bilaspur on March 18. His wife claimed that senior HPPCL officials were harassing him.

Justice Ajay Mohan Goel highlighted concerns raised by the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) regarding the investigation’s integrity. In an affidavit dated May 19, the DGP noted serious misconduct by the SIT, particularly regarding the alleged tampering or destruction of a pen drive found on the deceased, which reportedly contained crucial evidence. He mentioned a lack of cooperation from the Shimla Superintendent of Police in obtaining necessary materials for his investigation and indicated that two SIT members had refused to show him Negi’s diaries. The DGP also raised questions about prior conversations involving ASI Pankaj and the pen drive’s recovery, especially given ASI Pankaj’s questionable history, which included prior involvement in an attempted murder case.

Conversely, the SIT formed under the Shimla Police’s supervision disputed the DGP’s authority to question their investigative processes. The High Court reviewed a report from Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Onkar Sharma, which detailed how Director (Electrical) Des Raj allegedly intimidated Negi and Deputy General Manager (Electrical) Manish Chaudhary regarding delays from contractor M/s Prozeal Private Limited on the Pekhubella Solar Power Project. The project’s delay was ultimately reduced from 45 days to 23 days after pressure was applied.

Senior Manager (Electrical) Rajnish Katoch reported to the ACS Home that Des Raj pressured Negi to inflate the revenue projections of the Pekhubella project for a legislative report. Another Senior Manager, Bipan Guleria, noted that Negi faced continuous pressure from Des Raj and Meena to issue a completion certificate for the project, enabling the release of 10% of the payment.

The ACS Home report also covered other irregularities related to the Pekhubella Power Project and land lease issues. The High Court criticized the government’s lack of action regarding the ACS Home’s findings, stating, “The manner in which the Government handled the ACS Home’s report raises significant concerns. When the Secretary (Power) requested a fact-finding inquiry from the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the State should have addressed the findings impartially instead of defending the delinquent officers.”

The Court also noted that the SIT had not investigated the pressure exerted on Negi by the accused parties for unrelated reasons.

On Friday, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Central government regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) that calls for strict regulations or a complete ban on online and offline betting and gambling applications.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh requested the Centre’s response and instructed the petitioner to provide a copy of the plea to Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

The PIL, filed by Dr. K A Paul, an evangelist who appeared before the court, urged the government to create uniform central legislation that would either ban or rigorously regulate all forms of betting platforms.

Dr. Paul expressed deep concern about the growing prevalence of betting apps among the youth, stating, “I represent countless parents who have lost children in recent years. In Telangana alone, over 1,023 individuals have tragically taken their lives due to gambling-related issues.”

He noted that prominent cricketers, Bollywood actors, and social media influencers promote betting apps, leading young people into addiction and financial devastation. “The aggressive marketing strategies used by these celebrities mislead youth into gambling, rendering them financially vulnerable and addicted,” he argued. He also called for a ban on celebrity endorsements of such platforms.

In response, Justice Surya Kant remarked that societal issues cannot be fully resolved through legislation alone. “Just as we cannot prevent all acts of violence, a law cannot entirely deter individuals from engaging in betting or gambling,” the bench stated.

The petition highlights that unregulated betting platforms often serve as fronts for money laundering and black money transactions, breaching provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Dr. Paul presented alarming figures, noting that over 24 suicides in Telangana in the last 18 months are reportedly linked to gambling-related debts, with many similar cases occurring nationwide.

The petition urged the court to compel the government to take swift action, warning that thousands of families continue to suffer irreversible financial and emotional harm due to the unchecked rise of betting apps.

After boycotting the NITI Aayog General Council meetings for three years due to allegations of financial discrimination against Tamil Nadu by the Modi government, Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin arrived in Delhi on Friday to attend the scheduled meeting on Saturday and advocate for the state’s rightful demands.

Taking advantage of this visit, Stalin met with senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the evening. With the DMK as a crucial component of the INDIA coalition, this meeting underscores the party’s strong alliance with Congress.

The Chief Minister is also seeking support from states not governed by the Congress and from parties that oppose the BJP, particularly regarding the issues of delimitation and Governors allegedly obstructing elected state governments.

Sources reveal that during their meeting, Stalin inquired about Sonia Gandhi’s health, while she reciprocated by asking about the health of Stalin’s mother, Dayalu Ammal. While they did touch on the upcoming assembly elections, they did not delve into details.

DMK sources indicate that Stalin may also meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he has requested an appointment to present a memorandum outlining various demands for Tamil Nadu. This comes as the state has moved the Supreme Court seeking direction for the Union Government to release pending dues of ₹2,192 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). These funds have been withheld because Tamil Nadu has not complied with the Hindi instruction under the three-language formula of the New Education Policy, a policy that the state has opposed in favor of its longstanding two-language practice of Tamil and English since 1968.

Stalin’s decision to attend the NITI Aayog meeting has drawn criticism from the main opposition party, the AIADMK. Party General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami suggested that family interests were behind this change in stance, especially in light of the Enforcement Directorate’s intensified investigation into a purported ₹1,000 crore liquor scam linked to TASMAC, the state-run liquor retailer.

The ED recently conducted raids on TASMAC’s headquarters, private distilleries, and bottling units, and summoned TASMAC MD S. Visakan earlier this week. However, the Supreme Court has temporarily halted further ED investigations, criticizing the agency for breaching federal principles.