Delhi court to hear Himachal CM's plea on Monday

A Delhi court has fixed November 9 to hear a plea of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh regarding an alleged incomplete copy of an FIR furnished by the CBI in a disproportionate assets case against him and his wife.

Special Judge Vinod Kumar was scheduled to hear the plea on Friday but could not do so since he was attending a training programme. The court posted the matter for Monday to hear the CBI response on the plea.

In his application, Virbhadra Singh urged for directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation to file a complete copy of the First Information Report in the case.

The chief minister said that the annexures, as mentioned in paragraph five of the FIR, were not sent to the court along with the FIR copy.

Virbhadra Singh inspected the judicial records in the case in pursuance to the court's order dated September 28.

In June, the CBI initiated a preliminary inquiry against Virbhadra Singh and his wife on the charge of acquisition of assets disproportionate to known sources of income during his tenure as the union steel minister.

The case was registered on September 23 under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the former union minister, his wife Pratibha Singh, LIC agent Anand Chauhan and an associate Chunnilal.

The CBI raided Virbhadra Singh's residences in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh, including Holly Lodge in Jakhu Hills of Shimla, on September 26 while he and his family were busy with his daughter's marriage.