DA case: HC reserves order on Virbhadra's plea

The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its order on a plea of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife seeking quashing of FIR registered by the CBI against them in connection with a case of corruption.

Justice Vipin Sanghi reserved the order after lawyers representing Singh, his wife and the Central Bureau of Investigation concluded their arguments.

The CBI had registered the case on September 23 last year under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the Chief Minister, his wife Pratibha Singh, Life Insurance Corporation agent Anand Chauhan and associate Chunni Lal.

The case was registered after a preliminary inquiry that allegedly found that Virbhadra Singh, as Union minister during 2009-2012, accumulated assets worth Rs 6.03 crore in his name and in the name of his family members, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Chief Minister's counsel had argued that the permission of the state government and Home Department was not sought before raiding his residence.

On October 1, 2015, the Himachal Pradesh High Court in an interim order had restrained the CBI from arresting, interrogating or filing a charge sheet against Virbhadra Singh in the case without the court's permission. The matter was later transferred by Supreme Court to the Delhi High Court, but the interim order has not yet been vacated or stayed.

--IANS

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