Delhi High Court asks CBI to give report on allegations against Virbhadra

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today sought a status report from the CBI on the action taken by it regarding the corruption allegations against Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh after the agency said it was conducting an inquiry into the matter.

A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Manmohan asked CBI to file its report by February 12 on a PIL accusing the chief minister of corruption, money laundering, amassing disproportionate assets and criminal misconduct during his tenure as Union Steel Minister.

"Now CBI is seized with the matter. So let's call for the status report. Let them file their response by February 12," the bench said.

The bench also said that now everything was on record so there was no chance of destroying anything.

The PIL filed by NGO Common Cause has sought direction to the CBI and the DG Income Tax (Investigations) to initiate an investigation against Singh under the supervision of the Court and/or the CVC.

The PIL, filed against Centre, CVC, CBI, Singh and Directorate General of Income tax has alleged that Singh made a large amount of money through dubious sources and showed it as agricultural income to gain exemption from income tax and despite complaints to the Centre, CBI and CVC, no action has been taken so far which shows malafide on their part.

During the proceedings, CBI said it is at an enquiry stage and IT department is also probing the allegations.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the NGO that filed the PIL, sought that notice be issued against the respondents, but the high court refused to do so as "the CBI was seized of the matter".