Shimla: A strange melancholy has descended on Duni hamlet of Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, the native village of IPS officer Arvind Digvijay Negi arrested by the National Investigating Agency on Friday for allegedly leaking secret information to the Jaish militant outfit.
Negi, an officer of the 2011 IPS batch posted in Shimla, was the 7th to be arrested in the case registered by the agency in November last year about “widespread network of OGWs” (overground workers) of Lashkar “for providing support in planning and execution of terrorist activities in India”. NIA had also reached Negi's village to investigate his role in the case. Negi had returned to his parent cadre a few days ago.
It is believed that Negi was sent to the parent cadre after his name surfaced in the investigation of the case of providing information to the terrorist organization while being an SP in the NIA. It is believed that due to being on the radar of NIA, he was not given any major responsibility by the state government.
Villagers shocked: Negi's sudden arrest by the NIA has come as a shock to the people of Negi's village Duni where a strange melancholy and silence has descended. The villagers are shocked that their promising son, who was known for his work, is facing serious charges like sedition. Some people are calling it a conspiracy against Negi, while most are avoiding speaking on this matter.
The discussion is that the “officer who cracked a lot of cases and earned the appreciation of the state DGP and who gave 11 years to that agency is behind the bars due that same agency”.
More importantly, when Negi has cracked some sensational cases in the recent past.
Mandi Poisonous Liquor Case: On January 19 last month, 7 people died due to drinking spurious liquor in Salapad-Kangu of Mandi district. To investigate the matter, the DGP of Himachal Police constituted the SIT, which solved the matter in 72 hours. IPS Negi was also a part of this team, DGP Sanjay Kundu himself praised Negi while telling about his important role in solving this whole matter.
Secrets spilled by IS terrorists: In the year 2016, an IS supporter was arrested from Kullu. IPS Negi was also among those who interrogated the man who was living in the church. Negi had succeeded in getting many crucial information from him during interrogation.
PMT Paper Leak Case- Negi was also the principal investigator as a DSP in the Special Investigation Team constituted to investigate the CPMT Paper Leak Case that came up in Himachal Pradesh in the year 2006. At that time, the parents had also raised the demand to appoint him as the investigating officer. In this case, a charge sheet was made against 119 accused including the brother of a then minister.
Ishita Acid Case- Negi remained in the headlines for his role in the well-known Ishita acid attack incident of Shimla. From catching the accused of this case to the investigation of many other cases, he remained a well-known IPS officer.
Top bureaucracy silent - After the arrest of Negi, all the top officers from the police department in Himachal have kept mum on this matter. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is currently in Delhi over the matter while the top bureaucracy back in Shimla is currently refraining from saying anything on the matter.
Investigation intensify - After the arrest of Negi, there is a stir in the police department as well as in government. This is the first arrest of an IPS officer by the NIA. Negi had already appeared before the NIA twice to present his side on this matter.
It is believed that the investigation of NIA may intensify further, the scope of the agency's inquiry may increase even to those close to Negi. NIA is also probing Negi's assets.
NIA expert caught in the investigation: Negi was considered to be an expert in connecting the links of the crime. By showing his investigative skills in many cases, he had also won the praise of top officials. No surprise that his arrest has come as a shocker to his followers, who can't cope with the fact that the NIA's top investigator has been arrested by the agency itself.
Also read: NIA arrests IPS officer for leaking secret documents to LeT
