Midway through his sixth term as Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh faces a CBI preliminary enquiry over disproportionate assets. His wife Pratibha Singh, son Vikramaditya Singh and state Youth Congress president and daughter Aparjita Kumar are also facing the probe. Virbhadra spoke to ASHWANI SHARMA in Shimla.
The CBI has registered a PE against you and your family members over unexplained income of Rs 6.1 crore during your term as Union minister.
It’s sheer political vendetta and diversionary tactics of the NDA government, which is facing huge storm over the Lalit Modi controversy involving Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Since the Congress has built strong pressure for their resignation, they (NDA government) have chosen to target me (instead).
You are already facing a probe into I-T returns pertaining to 2009-2011 wherein there is sudden rise in your income from apple orchards?
I have submitted all the papers and relevant documents to the I-T authorities. The matter is pending before the I-T Tribunal, the Himachal Pradesh High Court and the Delhi High Court. What’s this fresh preliminary enquiry about? That’s why I am saying it’s political vendetta to divert media focus from Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje towards me. Former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur (BJP MP) are also behind it.
What is the basis of your charge?
Both Dhumal and Anurag Thakur are facing the heat of cases that my government has filed against them over misuse of power. Land worth crores of rupees was given to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) during Dhumal’s term as Chief Minister. Once the land was transferred, the HPCA, which was a registered society at the moment, converted itself into a company. Being the Chief Minister, I got the irregularities probed. Now the cases are in court. How can a cricket body be allowed to take control of assets belonging to the state? They (Dhumals) have lobbied in Delhi against me and got CBI activated (against me).
Do you plan to seek legal remedy?
There is already a PIL pending in the Delhi High Court. I have filed my replies. The CBI … has also given its report in a sealed cover. Without waiting for the outcome of the PIL, the CBI has acted in undue haste. I will fight it out politically and legally. The PE is aimed to destabilise a duly-elected Congress government and tarnish my image. But I am not afraid of such cases being fabricated against me — earlier by Dhumal in Himachal Pradesh, and now by the BJP-led government in Delhi.
INDIAN EXPRESS
