Disproportionate assets case: Himachal CM moves court

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday filed a petition in the high court challenging the jurisdiction of the CBI in filing a disproportionate assets case against him and his wife and sought quashing of the first information report (FIR).

In his petition, which would be heard by a division bench comprising Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sureshwar Singh Thakur on Thursday, Virbhadra Singh pleaded that the inquiry against him and his wife falls under income tax, and the matter was already under probe by the income tax department and consideration of the high court.

He said he was the chief minister of the state and as such, it was imperative for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to seek permission of the government for filing a criminal case and without sanction of prosecution, raids by it at his residences or other places could not be conducted.

The petitioner pleaded that the preliminary inquiry in the matter and the FIR registered on its basis suffered from legal infirmities and was against section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act and it should be quashed.