Court frames charges against Virbhadra, wife over corruption charges

In a setback to union minister Virbhadra Singh, a special court here on Monday framed corruption charges against him and his wife Paratibha Singh.

Special judge B L Soni gave the order in a Shimla court.The prosecution filed the chargesheet nearly two years ago.

The couple were booked in 2009 after Vijay Singh Mankotia, Singh’s political opponent, made public an audio CD recorded in 1989 which allegedly contained voices of Virbhadra Singh, his wife Pratibha, an IAS officer(now deceased) about money transactions.

Singh claim the CD to have been doctored but a laboratory in Chandigarh said it was genuine.

“The case is fabricated by my political opponents”, said Singh, a five time chief minister of the hill state, to reporters after the court’s decision, in Delhi. “But I take moral responsibility and if need be may even quit as union minister ,” Singh added.

 

Assembly polls are due in the state later this year and Singh is the front runner for the post of chief minister.

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal has asked Singh to immediately resign as union minister.