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Former engineer leader of the Electricity Board and ex-Managing Director of the Himachal Pradesh State Load Dispatch Centre, Engineer Sunil Grover, has exposed crucial details in the death case of former Chief Engineer of Himachal Power Corporation, Vimal Negi. Grover, known for his long-standing fight against government misdeeds within the electricity board, has never faced allegations of corruption or misconduct. Even IAS Omkar Sharma might find it difficult to doubt his integrity, regardless of the strategies others employ to suppress the truth.
Omkar Sharma is expected to submit his report within a few days, but the police investigation remains under scrutiny. The police’s silence raises serious questions about their credibility. This is not a minor issue—it is as sensitive and serious as the Gudiya case.
As a patron of the All India Power Engineers Federation, Grover has made shocking revelations under oath before Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Sharma, exposing the deep-rooted corruption within the system.
Here’s what Sunil Grover stated in his testimony:
The tragedy that has befallen Er. Vimal Negi seems to be a result of coercion exerted by the most corrupt, dishonest, high headed and incapable MD, Shri Harikesh Meena and his henchman, another corrupt, dishonest and rude officer Er. Desh Raj. Director (Electrical) on an upright and technically competent officer to follow their dictates at the cost of technical and financial prudence, and asking him to sign various papers and threatening him with dire consequences. Moreover, it is learnt from the reliable sources that for the last six months he was not allowed even a single day’s leave.
Quoting few glaring examples of mismanaged projects resulting from incompetence, high headedness, and financial corruption of Sh. Harikesh Meena, IAS and Er. Desh Raj are 450 MW Shongtong Karcham HEP (under construction in Kinnaur District), and the recently commissioned 32 MW Pekhubella Solar Power Project in Una District.
The project wise glaring acts of omission and commission of the management of HPPCL under Sh. Harikesh Meena which clearly reek of high level corruption that have been brought to our knowledge are as follows:
Pekhubella Solar Power Project (32 MW)
Completion cost: Rs. 220 Crores
Cost of construction per MW:Rs. 6.8 Crore
Tariff (as per Mandatory petition filed by HPPCL):Rs.4.90per unit
The following facts will demonstrates how these corrupt people headed by Harikesh Meena were successful in getting wrongful gains to them by manipulating each and every thing by corrupt and illegal means:-
a) The DPR itself was manipulated to inflate costs, and surprisingly the bids were also in that range.
b) The tenders for the project were called in March, 2023 with date of opening as 4th April, 2023. At that point of time, the cost of Solar PV module was @28 Rs/kwp. At the time of award, i.c. on 15th May, 2023, prices had fallen by 20%, and subsequently in the next 15 days the prices were reduced by as much as 50%, i.c. by around Rs. 14/kwp. But HPPCL did not negotiate the rates considering these facts.
c) HPPCL awarded this 32 MW Solar project at an extraordinarily exorbitant cost of Rs. 220 Crores, which brings the average rate to 6.8 Crore/MW against the national average of Rs.3.5 to 4
Crore/MW. Thus, the awarded value of project should not have been more than Rs. 120 Crores
d) The work was awarded to a firm, M/s Prozeal, which was not qualified in the initial online bids and additional documents were taken during post bid clarification.
e) No e-reverse bidding was held for the project.
f) Payment of drainage dewatering chamber have been made even though work was not completed, which also resulted in flooding of project site during August, 2024.
g) A High-Level Power Committee (HLPC) was constituted and forced to recommend Extension of Time (EOT) even though in the initial reports it was submitted that there was delay at the end of the firm.
h) It is a fact that due to poor planning and mismanagement no PPA was executed for sale of power. This also made it impossible for HPPCL. to have any financial tie-up for the execution of the project.
i) Further, it is pertinent to mention that HPPCL filed a petition for determination of tariff for sale of power from the project demanding Rs. 4.9 per unit which was disallowed by HPERC and instead allowed a tariff of Rs. 2.90 per unit. Thus, it will not be possible for the government to recover even the capital cost of the project.
j) Earlier, as MD Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEBL) as well, Sh. Harikesh Meena had caused loss of crores to the HPSEBL/State by not allowing HPSEBL. to buy power offered by SJVNL @Rs. 2.42 per unit. Attempts were made to sign a PPA with HPSEBL for Pekhubella power @ Rs. 4.50 per unit. The regulator had, however, restricted tariff for Pekhubella power project at Rs. 2.92 per unit.
k) Also during the intervening period i.e. from award to commissioning. Shri. Harikesh Meena as MD, HPSEBL (additional charge) didn’t allow HPSEBL to buy even the solar power available in open market which resulted in loss of crores of rupees to HPSEBL exchequer. Also, it is understood that to counter the SJVN rates of per unit solar power offered to HPSEBL, one Chief Engineer of HPSEBL was forced to sign and submit an affidavit in Hon’ble HPERC with wrong facts
1) Various reports have also emerged in the media where in it has been stated that there has been a loss of around 100-120 Crores to the State from the construction of Pekhubella solar power project which needs thorough investigation to ascertain the truth and to bring to books the persons who had indulged themselves in high level corruption.
Shongtong Karcham HEP (450 MW) Under construction:
Capacity of the project:450 MW
Approved Estimated Cost (as per DPR)
a) Civil works:1165.00 Crores
b) Electromechanical works: 504.20 Crores
c) Transmission works:54.90 Crores
d) Total:1724.10 Crores
Expenditure incurred upto August, 2024:2230 Crores
Work completed up to august, 2024: 48-53%
Estimated Project Cost (if COD by December, 2026, which is highly unlikely)=4800 Crores
a) The main civil contractor on the above-mentioned Hydro Power Project of HPPCL i.e. M/s Patel Engineers has been unduly favoured by Shri. Harikesh Meena, IAS, MD until the unfortunate demise of Er. Vimal Negi.
b) The main reason for the time and cost overrun has been the rampant corruption and lackadaisical attitude of management of HPPCI. during the last about three years. In contravention of all accepted canonical principles of financial prudence, attempts were made to provide Rs. 450 crores to the firm as interest free advance, and an additional hefty. amount of Rs. 128/km for haulage of material was also proposed, but were not approved by the Board of Directors (BoD) as the said civil contractor has already been paid the complete contract value of Rs. 1080 Crores inspite of the fact that only 48% of work has been completed at the time.
c) There are allegations that the representatives of the said civil contractor have been facilitating the construction of the house of Sh. Harikesh Meena in his home state Jaipur. Additionally, the firm’s representatives have also been organising lavish parties and making hospitality arrangements for Shri Harikesh Meena in towns/cities outside Himachal Pradesh and has been satisfying his greed of hefty bribes at all times…
d) A communication on similar lines was circulated widely in social media some months back as complaint and the contents of the letter still remain to be investigated.
Interestingly, the Modus Operandi of Shri. Harikesh Meena, IAS, was that to provide legitimacy to his decisions, he was in the habit of forming High level Power Committees (HLPCs) and then coercing the officers of these HLPCs to make documents as per his whims and fancies, and unobliging officers were threatened with suspension, or charge-sheets, etc.
The various facts narrated above were also highlighted by Sh. Tarun Shridhar, Director General of Indian Food and Agriculture Council and former officer of Indian Administrative Service in his aptly titled article “Hume Kshama Kar Dena Vimal Negi” in the national newspaper, Dainik Jagran. Relevant extracts of the article are reproduced here for reference:
“My strong request is to the young All India services and other officers.you will have many officers under you whose qualification if not more than you then will definitely will be equal. Some of them may be around your father in age. Give respect as you wish for your father.”
Lastly, it must be said that a brief perusal of the going-ons in HPPCL in the last two years clearly reflect that the Sh. Harikesh Meena, IAS the then MD. and his henchman Er. Desh Raj, the then Director (Electrical) exhibited poor communication, lack of empathy, unprofessional behaviour, low emotional intelligence, played favourites, in addition to corruption and mismanagement that resulted in a toxic work culture in HPPCL as is evident from various statements submitted by the employees of HPPCL and family members of Er. Vimal Negi. These actions coupled with the facts submitted hereinabove in para (i) to (iv) eventually led to the sad and untimely demise of Er. Vimal Negi.
In view of the facts stated hereinabove the above named the then MD and Director (Electrical), HPPCL are instrumental in abetting Er. Vimal Negi for committing suicide and must be taken to task and may consider or recommend their summarily dismissal under section 311 of Constitution of India.
That I further verify that the contents of my deposition contained in paras 1 to 7 are true and correct to the best of my knowledge gained from reliable sources and belief and nothing material has been concealed there from.
