Union Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday resigned in the wake of a Himachal Pradesh court framing corruption charges against him.
In a setback to Union minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha, the Himachal Pradesh high court on Saturday declined to stay the couple's trial in a case of alleged corruption and asked them to appear before the special court. The high court also gave no relief to Singh and his wife on their plea to quash the case and refer it to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The case relates to an audio CD which was released by former minister Vijay Singh Mankotia.
Special Judge B L Soni, who had reserved framing charges on conclusion of arguments on June 6 last said that sufficient evidence existed for framing of charges against Singh and his wife in the "infamous" CD case in which they were allegedly having a conversation with IAS officer Mohinder Lal and some industrialists regarding monetary transactions
Former Union minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday said he was ready to face a probe into allegations that he received payments from a private steel firm provided the role of others, including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is also investigated.
Rubbishing a court's order to frame charges against him, Union minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday said the matter was sub-judice and decided to seek justice by filing a revision petition against the decision of the special court. Singh issued a statement to the press saying he had filed a writ petition in the Shimla high court for quashing of the entire criminal case against him and his wife Pratibha.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday restrained the Central Bureau of Investigation from arresting Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh in connection with the disproportionate assets case but allowed the enquiry in the matter to proceed.
In a scathing letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party's senior leader Arun Jaitley has made a number of allegations against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party legal cell in-charge Satyapal Jain on Wednesday asked Virbhadra Singh, who resigned as union minister in the wake of a Himachal Pradesh court framing corruption charges against him, to 'honour the court order'.
"For me, it is like homecoming," said the 93-year-old who returned for the second time to the Congress which he had last left ahead of the 2017 assembly elections to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The veteran leader breathed his last at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla at 3.40 am, senior medical superintendent Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) Dr. Janak Raj said.
Officials said the agency has issued fresh summons to Singh as it wants to record his statement under the PMLA.
Singh's wife Pratibha Singh was also summoned as accused.
The court also dismissed petitions of his wife Pratibha Singh, son Vikramaditya Singh and another person.
The IO is also understood to have confronted him with some documents the agency had seized and recovered in this case of alleged disproportionate assets.
The chargesheet, filed before Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann, names six accused, including the former chief minister and his wife.
Rubbishing allegations of corruption against him by Team Anna, Union Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday sought an unconditional apology from its key member Arvind Kejriwal for "maligning" his name, failing which he threatened to initiate legal action against him.
While his performance is commendable, the bribery charges against him just don't go away.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday claimed there is ample admissible evidence against Congress leader and former Union Minister Virbhadra Singh to investigate allegations he received payments from a private steel firm and demanded a SIT probe.
Welcoming Union Minister Virbhadra Singh's resignation, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday maintained it had come under public pressure and suggested that the prime minister take action against 'corrupt' ministers instead of waiting for charges to be framed against them.
Union Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was slapped with charges of conspiracy and corruption in a 23-year-old case, on Monday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi, triggering speculation of his resignation.
Under attack from Bharatiya Janata Party, former Union Minister Virbhadra Singh on Tuesday brushed aside allegations of income tax evasion, money-laundering and forgery as "false and fabricated" and threatened action against those behind the "malicious" campaign ahead of Himachal assembly polls.
In the wake of framing of charges against Union minister Virbhadra Singh in a graft case, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said he should tender his resignation and if he refuses to do so, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sack him immediately."BJP demands that Vir Bhadra Singh should resign immediately. If he refuses to do so, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sack him," party spokesperson Jagat Prakash Nadda said.
Dismissing allegations that he had received money from a private steel company, former Union minister Virbhadra Singh on Saturday threatened legal action against all the people behind the "motivated campaign".
On the last day of the Budget Session, the National Democratic Alliance today created uproar in the Lok Sabha over the issue of alleged corruption involving Union Minister Virbhadra Singh and Scheduled Caste Commission Chairman Buta Singh and demanded action against them.
CBI sources said Singh appeared before the probe team on Tuesday morning and was questioned.
Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh were booked on Monday night by the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau under relevant sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code).
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has unilaterally withdrawn the defamation case filed against Arun Jaitley, the Union finance minister.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has been quizzed and his statement recorded by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with alleged kickbacks made to him and State Trading Corporation employees by some private companies.
Former minister Virbhadra Singh, who resigned from the Union Cabinet after charges were framed against him in a corruption case, has been made the chairman of the Congress' campaign committee for Himachal Pradesh, ahead of the assembly polls in the state. Singh, a five time chief minister, had earlier said that his resignation should not be seen as an admission of guilt as he was going to fight the case to its logical conclusion.
In fresh confrontation with Team Anna, Union Minister Virbhadra Singh on Sunday said he intends to file a criminal defamation suit against Arvind Kejriwal while Congress MP Jagdambika Pal has slapped a privilege notice against the activist for allegedly insulting Parliament.
Clash of the two richest titans, a celebrity and a 'royal', is on the cards in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, known for electing erstwhile 'royals' maximum number of times.
Nath's resignation was accepted by party president Sonia Gandhi keeping in view the party's 'one person-one post' policy.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi also appointed Harsh Mahajan, Rajender Rana, Pawan Kajal and Vinay Kumar as the new working presidents of the Himachal Pradesh PCC.
Historically, the Mandi constituency has favoured scions of erstwhile princely states, electing royals in 13 out of 19 elections, including two bypolls since 1952.
Quitting as Union minister on Tuesday, Virbhadra Singh has now set his eyes firmly on the next assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh later this year. These tidings may stir mixed emotions in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party there
With the party bagging its first victory in the hill state without the charismatic presence of Virbhadra Singh, Sukhu's elevation makes it clear that the party is ready to move on.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was on Friday questioned for the second consecutive day in connection with an alleged disproportionate assets case against him.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal denied phone tapping charges levelled against him by Union Minister Virbhadra Singh and urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to order a probe into the allegation on Friday.
Union Steel minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife have been booked in a two-year- old corruption case by the Himachal Pradesh vigilance bureau, triggering an angry response from the veteran Congress leader who saw it as an act of political vendetta by the Bharatiya Janata Party regime.
The ED summons have come close on the heels of filing of a chargesheet by the CBI against Singh, his wife and others for allegedly amassing assets worth around Rs 10 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income.
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