Ready with charge sheet against Virbhadra in DA case, CBI tells court

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that it was ready with the charge sheet in a disproportionate assets case against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and sought permission to submit it.

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 Rs 6 crore disproportionate assets 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.

Delhi High Court's Justice A.K. Pathak, before whom the matter was heard for hearing, however, recused himself from hearing the case and transferred it to another bench for August 30.

On April 6, 2016 the high court had directed the CBI not to arrest Virbhadra Singh while asking him to join the investigation.

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

The case followed 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 kno wn sources of income.

--IANS

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