Overview
- Assistant Sub-Inspector Pankaj Sharma was granted regular bail by Justice Virender Singh, with the order finalized after arguments concluded this week.
- Bail was set on a personal bond of ₹50,000 with one surety of the same amount, to the satisfaction of the chief judicial magistrate in Shimla.
- The court said pre-trial punishment is prohibited and noted that the chances of the case beginning and concluding soon do not appear bright.
- Sharma, arrested by the CBI on September 14, is accused of hiding and tampering with a pen drive recovered from Vimal Negi’s clothes, which the agency alleges was formatted at a police station.
- The Negi death probe was transferred from state police to the CBI on May 23 after a petition by his wife, and Sharma can be directed to join the investigation as required.