Court frames charges against Virbhadra

“Charges are framed against Virbhadra Singh under Section 120 B IPC and Sections 7,11 and 13 (I)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act,1988,and under Sections 120 B IPC and Section 9 of Shimla court frames charges against Virbhadra the PC Act against Pratibha Singh,” the judge said in his 32-page order.

The state Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau registered the case against Virbhadra Singh in August 2009,a few days after he joined the union cabinet. The case hinges on a controversial audio CD released by former minister Major (retd) Vijai Singh Mankotia in May 2007,levelling serious charges of corruption and illegal financial deals against Singh,who was then chief minister.

The CD has voices purported to be that of Virbhadra Singh and his wife,who are allegedly in conversation with IAS officer Mohinder Lal,the then director (Industries). The conversation allegedly relates to financial transactions involving representatives of cement giant Gujarat Ambuja and beverages and food processing major Mohan Meakin.

The conversation was recorded in 1989,but came to light only in 2007,a few months before the assembly elections of that year. Key witness Lal is now dead.

“There are sufficient grounds to proceed further in the case as the materials collected show existence of strong suspicions qua the involvement of accused persons. They are alleged to have received illegal gratification worth Rs five lakhs and thereafter cement plant clearance was given,and M/s Mohan Meakin was further granted time for completion of the plant/machinery,” the court said.

The judge rejected the contention of Singh’s lawyers that the CD lacked authenticity. “Even if this evidence is excluded still there is other material and evidence which throws strong suspicions as to the involvement of the accused persons herein,” the court said.

The trial,however,will not start immediately. “Case will be taken up by the (trial) court after receipt of further orders from the Hon’ble High Court,” the judge said. Singh filed three petitions in Himachal Pradesh High Court pleading that the FIR was politically motivated and should be quashed; the high court did not,however,allow his plea.

Soon after the framing of charges,the BJP demanded Singh’s resignation from the union council of ministers,failing which,the party said,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sack him.

Team Anna welcomed the verdict as a vindication of its charges against Singh,and sought his resignation. “When India Against Corruption named him as one of the tainted ministers in Manmohan Singh’s cabinet on March 25,he threatened a defamation suit… (He) certainly cannot be accepted as a part of central cabinet…,” the IAC said in a statement.

The verdict,the statement said,shows that “the evidence presented by IAC against the 15 ministers is credible and actionable. Mrs (Sonia) Gandhi had said that our allegations were baseless. This verdict shows that the evidence presented by us is not baseless.”