Yet to look into allegations against Himachal Pradesh CM: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday refrained from commenting on the graft allegations against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and restricted himself to saying that he had received a letter from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley, but was yet to look into it.

Interacting with media here today, Dr. Singh said, "I can't comment on what you are referring that is happening in the Himachal Pradesh. I have read some news reports on the issue, and also received the letter from BJP leader Arun Jaitley on December 29. But I haven't had the time to apply my mind about what is the truth in these allegations."

The Himachal Pradesh chief minister has been accused by the BJP of indulging in a quid pro quo dealing with a private company. Arun Jaitley had accused Singh of being involved in three cases of corruption, one of which involved the owner of a private company.

He alleged that Virbhadra and his wife Pratibha Singh had received a sum of one crore fifty thousand and two crores respectively from Vanshri Vakamula Chandrashekar, the owner of Venture Energy and Technology Private Limited.

He claimed that the same money was invested in a new company opened by Mr. Chandrashekar called Taarini Enterprise Private Limited, through which, Singh's wife, his son and daughter became its shareholders.

On Thursday, Virbhadra Singh had said," Prove me wrong, and, I will quit politics, forget my post."

Over past one week, both the BJP and the Congress have launched protests against each other over the issue.

On December 31, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha had protested in front of Rahul Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence, and raised anti- Congress slogans. Some even tried to cross the steel and iron barricades.

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