Disproportionate assets case: Virbhadra Singh paid businessman to escape probe, says CBI

NEW DELHI: CBI sleuths investigating a disproportionate assets case against Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh allege that the veteran Congress leader paid back money to a businessman friend, who helped him cover up ill-gotten wealth, to escape investigators.

According to sources in the CBI, Singh paid back businessman Vakamulla Chandrashekhar Rs 3.90 crore in March 2014 with 10% interest in two instalments.

Chandrashekhar had initially paid the money to Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh as unsecured loans in 2011, and CBI sources had alleged that during his interrogation the businessman had admitted that the money belonged to Singh.

While the CBI had received severe criticism for conducting raids at the Himachal chief minister’s house on the day of his daughter’s marriage, according to its officials, the searches revealed that the monies were paid by Vakamulla in 15 different instalments.

CBI also found that Singh had assets worth Rs 20 crore in bank balance and fixed deposits, and there was no need for any kind of unsecured loan, they claimed.

When contacted, Singh’s media in charge denied the allegations and said that CBI’s first information report (FIR) is full of loopholes. The person also alleged that the investigators have been mandated by the Centre to fix the Himachal chief minister.

On Thursday, the Himachal High Court restrained CBI from arresting Singh even as the agency maintained that it didn’t intend to arrest him at this stage. While lauding CBI for its “professional and fair probe”, the HC order directed the agency to seek permission before recording Singh’s statement.

“The court has asked us to continue our investigation,” said a CBI official, adding that as per law they are not required to inform the speaker or seek permission for carrying out raids at the chief minister’s house.

The case against Singh and his family has snowballed into a major political controversy with MLAs from Himachal petitioning President Pranab Mukherjee against CBI’s action.