BJP demands HP Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's resignation

SHIMLA: Continuing its offensive against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, BJP today accused him of trying to influence the investigations into corruption charges against him and his family members, and sought his resignation on moral grounds to facilitate a "free and fair" probe.

"Virbhdra Singh is trying to influence the probe being conducted into charges against him by the CBI and Income Tax department and he should resign on moral grounds or else the Congress high command should force him to resign to ensure a fair probe," state BJP General Secretary Randhir Sharma told reporters here.

Sharma alleged the Chief Minister was using his position to manage and influence the investigations and asked that if he was not keeping track of CBI, how he came to know that officers of Gujarat were investigating the cases.

"Charges of taking bribe were levelled against Singh when he was Union Steel Minister, following which his ministry was changed and later he had to resigned," Sharma said, adding that in 2012 Virbhadra Singh revised his income tax statement for the past three years and showed his income going up from Rs 7 lakh, Rs 15 lakh and Rs 25 lakhs to Rs 6.1 crore.

Another scam that came to light was transportation of apple on scooters and small vehicles, he added.

Sharma further alleged that Chunni Lal of Parwanoo who purchased the apples from Singh was allegedly rewarded by the Chief Minister who made him the director of marketing board and will never reveal the truth.

Giving projects to Venture Energy Private limited of Vakamulla Chandershekhar and alleged transactions of Rs 7 crore from Vakamulla account to the accounts of Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh warrant a thorough an impartial probe, he said.

The BJP leader said while the people of the state are suffering, the Chief Minister is busy in Delhi and allegedly trying to manage probe at a time when lakhs of families are suffering due to drive launched by the forest depart to remove encroachments on forest land, he alleged.