The Delhi Patiala House Court granted bail to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh and seven others who appeared before the Court in DA case today. On May 22, CM and others accused had moved applications to seek bail, however the Court sought the CBI response in the matter which submitted its reply in the Court this morning.
The Court adjourned hearing in the morning reserving order on the bail application in post lunch hearing. The Court today decided to grant bail to all the accused including Mr. Singh. After granting bail in the afternoon the Court fixed next date of hearing in the matter on July 27. The Court also released all the accused on Rs. one lakh each surety bond barring them to visit abroad and ordering to deposit passports in the Court.
Mr. Singh his wife Ms. Pratibha Singh and seven other accused were summoned by the Court of CBI Special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal on May 8 after taking cognizance on CBI charge sheet against them. They also appeared in the court on May 22 and moved separate application to bail out them in the case. Court had given one week time for the agency to file reply in the matter. On May 22 the Court had handed over a copy of charge sheet to all the accused in the case.
The CBI had filed a charge sheet against the Chief Minister on Mar 31 this year charging that he had amassed assets worth Rs 10 crore which were disproportionate by 192 per cent to his total income during his tenure as a Union Minister. Chief Minister and other were charged by CBI under section 109 (abatement) and 465 (punishment for forgery) of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, arrayed around 225 witnesses and 442 documents.
Besides Octogenarian CM and Ms Singh agency named LIC agency Anand Chauhan, Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, stamp paper vendor Joginder Singh Ghalta, MD of Tarani Infrastructure V Chandrasekhar among others as accused, charging them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption among others. Mr Chauhan is currently in judicial custody.
