Himachal High Court turns down Virbhadra’s plea

SHIMLA - In a setback to Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh, the Himachal Pradesh High Court Friday turned down his plea for quashing the police complaint against him and his wife filed last year in the infamous CD case.

After reserving his order Aug 20, Justice Kuldip Singh gave the ruling in the court Friday.

The high court also gave two weeks’ time to Virbhadra Singh to appeal to the Supreme Court against the ruling.

Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh were booked by the state police Aug 3, 2009, under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The complaint against Virbhadra Singh alleges misuse of his official position and criminal misconduct when he was the chief minister of the state in 1989.

According to the police, they were booked on the basis of an audio CD released by Virbhadra Singh’s political adversary Vijai Singh Mankotia in 2007.

In the CD, Virbhadra Singh was heard allegedly referring to some monetary transactions during his phone conversation with Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Mahinder Lal, who is now dead. It also allegedly contained the voices of his wife and some industrialists.

Virbhadra Singh’s counsel argued that the cases were registered on the basis of a CD whose origin was not known. He said at that time in 1080 audio cassettes were in use and not CDs.

Counsel said the Forensic Science Laboratory had submitted its report Aug 8, 2008, but the first information report against the Singhs was registered after the delay of one year.

On the other hand, the state government contended that the vigilance bureau had already completed investigations in the case and sought permission to file formal charge against the Singhs.

Justice Kuldip Singh in June this year had rejected Virbhadra Singh’s another plea to make Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Director General of Police D.S. Manhas party to the police FIR registered against him.