HC seeks CBI, IT response on allegations against Himachal CM

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the CBI and the Income Tax department to file a status report on the allegations against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

The report has been sought over the allegations that during his earlier tenure as chief minister and union minister, Virbhadra Singh indulged in graft, money laundering and forgery.

A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva sought response from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax (IT) department, while dismissing the Singh's contention that the plea here is not maintainable.

The bench held that the plea is maintainable, saying when the court itself has taken up the issue on its own, then there is no question of maintainability.

Earlier, a PIL on the issue was filed by an NGO, Common Cause, but Singh had challenged the maintainability of the petition, saying it was filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan with a motive as the state government has initiated action against him in a land allotment matter.

The court later, taking his submission on record, discharged the NGO and Bhushan from the matter and had appointed two advocates as amicus curiae to assist the court on the issue.

Earlier, the Centre had said that a prima facie case of money laundering appears to be made out against Singh.