The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Tuesday extended anticipatory bail to senior IAS officer Harikesh Meena, bringing temporary relief in a sensitive case linked to the death of HPPCL employee Vimal Negi. The courtroom in Shimla remained attentive as Justice Virender Singh dictated the order, stressing that bail at this stage should not turn into a mini-trial.
Background
The case arises from FIR No. 9 of 2025, later taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following allegations by the deceased’s wife that her husband was mentally harassed and overworked by senior officials of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL). Negi’s body was recovered from the Bhakra Dam area in March 2025.
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Harikesh Meena, who was serving as Managing Director of HPPCL, approached the High Court apprehending arrest under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy. His counsel argued that he was not even named in the original FIR and had cooperated with the investigation whenever called.
The defence repeatedly pointed to the fact that Desh Raj, Director (Electrical) and a co-accused facing similar allegations, had already been granted bail by the Supreme Court. On that footing, parity was pressed before the High Court.
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Court’s Observations
After hearing all sides, the Court made it clear that it would not examine the allegations in depth at the bail stage. “At this juncture, the Court is not required to weigh evidence as if conducting a trial,” the bench observed, adding that the role of the applicant would be tested during the course of the trial itself.
Justice Singh noted that the prosecution could not satisfactorily explain how certain administrative decisions, including release of payments or project-related approvals, had a direct and immediate link with the alleged suicide. Referring to Supreme Court precedents, the Court reiterated that mere allegations of workplace harassment, without clear and proximate instigation, may fall short of the legal threshold for abetment.
The bench also took note of the fact that the investigation is still ongoing, forensic reports are awaited, and the trial is unlikely to conclude anytime soon. Importantly, the Court recorded that similar accusations against the co-accused had already resulted in bail from the apex court, making continued denial of protection to the applicant difficult to justify.
Decision
In its final order, the High Court made absolute the interim protection earlier granted to Harikesh Meena. The Court directed that he be released on bail in the event of arrest in the CBI case, on furnishing a personal bond of ₹50,000 with one surety of the like amount.
The relief, however, comes with strict conditions: the applicant must join the investigation whenever called, cannot leave India without court permission, must not influence witnesses, and is required to appear before the trial court on all dates of hearing. The Court clarified that its observations are limited to the bail decision and shall not be treated as an opinion on the merits of the case.
Case Title: Harikesh Meena vs Central Bureau of Investigation
Case No.: CrMP (M) No. 781 of 2025
Case Type: Anticipatory Bail Application
Decision Date: 24 December 2025
