Cash on camera: Himachal BJP MP might be booked

The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh may register a criminal case against BJP's sitting MP Virender Kashyap, allegedly caught accepting cash on camera, the police said Saturday.

The development is significant as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained the one-time MP Kashyap from the Shimla (Reserved) seat.

"The vigilance department's legal cell is examining the case. I can't comment on registering a case against Kashyap at this point in time," Additional Director General of Police (Vigilance) Prithvi Raj told reporters here.

Last November, the Himachal Pradesh High Court issued notice to Kashyap on a petition for quashing a police inquiry report giving a clean chit to him after he was allegedly caught accepting cash.

Petitioner Devashish Bhattacharya has alleged the state government inquiry in 2010 was not fair and aimed at hushing up the matter.

The petitioner also sought a fresh free and fair inquiry into the case.

"Solan superintendent of police, on the directions of the director general of police, constituted a special team Jan 5, 2010, to probe the matter. The team submitted its report March 2 and concluded no cognisable offence was made out," said the plea.

The petitioner alleged that police did not take the case to its logical conclusion due to political pressure.

Official sources said a video CD was in circulation in January 2010 in which Kashyap was seen accepting bribe from a private party for helping it in securing permission for setting up an educational institution in the state.

At that time, Prem Kumar Dhumal-led BJP government was in power in the state.