Himachal CM exempted from appearance in corruption case

A court here on Thursday exempted Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh from personal appearance till the time arguments on framing of charges in the Rs 10 crore disproportionate assets case against them go on.

Allowing the plea, Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann said the court will review the order after deciding on framing of charges.

Virbhadra Singh, his wife and other accused, except Life Insurance Corporation agent Anand Chauhan, accused of laundering Singh's disproportionate assets, were present in the court on Thursday.

The court allowed Chauhan's plea seeking exemption from personal appearance on Thursday as he was busy attending the wedding ceremony of his niece.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheeted Singh, saying the Chief Minister was in possession of assets worth Rs 10,30,47,946.40 in his own name as well as in the names of his family members.

Apart from Singh and his wife, the CBI had chargesheeted Chauhan, his associate Chunni Lal, Joginder Singh Ghalta, Prem Raj, Lawan Kumar Roach, Vakamullah Chandrashekhar and Ram Prakash Bhatia.

It was alleged that between May 28, 2009 and June 26, 2012, Virbhadra Singh, as Union Minister of Steel and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, committed criminal misconduct, while his wife and other accused allegedly abetted the offence by investing his money in the names of his family members.

Pratibha Singh was accused of intentionally and actively abetting Virbhadra Singh in "investing his ill-gotten and unaccounted money in her and their children's names".

In another case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, the court has asked the probe agency to file reply, by December 15, on the bail plea of Chauhan.

--IANS

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