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.
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.
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.
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".
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday asked party leaders from Himachal Pradesh to put up a united front and help the party regain power in the state.
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.
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.
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.
In a letter to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, state Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore said Gandhi had laid the foundation stone on June 28, 2010 in the presence of the then CM Prem Kumar Dhumal and Union minister Virbhadra Singh.
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