Congress high command summons Virbhadra Singh

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UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi yesterday reportedly summon Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh as he left from Annadale Heliped, Shimla to New Delhi in afternoon.

Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mr. Arun Jaitely has leveled allegation of corruption on Mr. Singh on Monday, seeking his ouster on moral grounds in a press conference addressed at New Delhi.

Mr. Singh who was on Dharamshala sojourn left for New Delhi from Annadale Heliped, soon after he landed at New Delhi on a message of high command to discuss the next course of action by the party.

Opposition leaders had alleged that Mrs. Singh while making open financial assets owned by her family, did not mentioned that about Rs. 4 crore unsecured loan was taken from Vakamulla Chandrashekhar, despite the couple had bank balance of Rs. 10 crore, revealing financial liability of Rs. 1.50 crore and Rs. 2.40 crore in the name
of Mrs. Singh and Mr. Singh respectively.

As it was mentioned in the affidavit filed before the Election Commission of India by Mrs. Singh who won the seat as member of Lok Sabha in June 2013 from Mandi. The family hailed to erstwhile royal estate of Rampur Bushair projected Rs. 33.96 crore assets and Rs. 3.93 crore liabilities.

Speaking to Media persons leader of opposition in HP Assembly at Dharamshala recently Mr. Prem Kumar Dhumal alleged that cabinet special extension to Sai Kothi 15 MW power project is a quid pro quo as Venture Energy Technical Limited belongs to Vakamulla Chandrasheker, who had given Rs. 3.90 crore unsecured loan to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his Parliamentarian wife Pratibha Singh.

He added that power project was given special extension for fourth time as it had allotted 45 months back and have to deposit Rs. 58.19 lakh with state as cabinet approved it in September 4 meeting.

State government said that firm had deposited amount of Rs. 45.75 lakh but there was a balance of Rs. 25.52 lakh which include extension fee and interest thereon. The Congress government on September 4, 2013 further gave special extension after levying fee at the rate of Rs. 20,000 per MW per month in favour of company subject to fulfillment of condition as sum of Rs. 58.19 lakh to be deposited within a period of 30 days.

In a statement laid before the house during recent assembly session, Chief Minister said that there is no question of favour to this firm as this project was canceled on November 12, 2013 on the other hand government has taken a decision as per rule, thereby upholding the rule of law.

However, BJP alleged that since Vakamulla Chandrashekar had not submitted penal amount with the state as he had issued Rs. 3.90 crore unsecured loan to Mr. Singh and his wife and then Vakamulla got special extension.

The Sai-Kothi Hydroelectric Project (HEP) has been contemplated a run on Baira nallah, a tributary of river Suil/Ravi in Tissa, Distt. Chamba H.P. nearly 95 kms from Chamba. It is an upstream development of the existing Baira-Suil Project. The dam site has been proposed at 2 km upstream of village Shali and the power house at 100 m downstream of same village on the right bank of the nallah.

The state signed MOU of this project on June 16, 2007 as it was alloted in 2002. Under the power policy every independent Power Producers (IPP) have to complete the project within 24 months but Sai Kothi Project has been graced with fourth extension as it was to be excuted after 46 months delay.Under the present rule state can give two extensions if any project fail to execute in stipulated period of 24 months but this was fourth extension to Sai Kothi power project.

Opposition leader called it misuse of power for quid pro quo by the chief minsiter and cabinet council should also resign no moral grounds.

Beside payoff of Rs. 11 crore by revealed Ispat industries during Union Minister of Steel Mr. Singh and his family has unaccounted bank deposits of many crores as bank transactions has alleged by BJP leader taken place in 32 different bank accounts of CM and his family member.

The bank account numbers of Mr. Singh in which the money was transferred from the accounts of Vakamulla Chandrashekhar of New Delhi, whose company M/s Venture Energy Technologies Ltd is executing 15 MW Sai Kothi hydropower project in Chamba district.

Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal alleged that entire cabinet was responsible for extending favours to Vakamulla. He also said,”The governor should take a note on the issue and dismiss the government immediately.”

However, Mr. Virbhadra Singh has clarified that “as an individual, I have every right to raise a loan”.

On November 26 Delhi high court had asked CBI to file probe report before it after hearing public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed by noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan before a division bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Mr. Justice Manmohan seeking CBI probe into VBS file.

The PIL states that there were several primary documents like income tax returns and affidavits filed during nomination papers linking the Congress leader to “dubious transactions” and investments involving large sums of money when he was in the central government.

The petition also added that Mr. Singh filed the IT returns for assessment year 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 showing agricultural income of Rs. 735,000, Rs. 1,500,000 and Rs. 2,500,000 respectively. This is exempt under the IT Act.

“In 2012, in order to explain the unaccounted money, Mr. Singh filed revised IT returns for assessment year 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 showing revised agricultural income, showing an increase of 18 to 30 fold of income in the three years.

“The total increase in agricultural income amounted to Rs. 6.10 crore,” the petition stated.

The PIL stated that December 1, 2010, the IT department seized from the office of Ispat industries documents whose spread sheet purports to show that payments made to one “VBS”.

Chief Minister has denied any dealing with Ispat industries and said the initials “VBS” do not correspond to his name.

On November 27, high court sought reply form the CBI about the VBS case, CBI submitted before the court that it was already probing the matter.

The court asked the CBI to file status report after compeleting the probe till February 12, 2013 into the matter. Currently CBI has been questioned close aid of Mr. Singh including his accountants.

After mounting of pressure on Congress high command to ouster Mr. Singh from Chief Minister post as he had reported to be questioned by CBI into the alleged pay off soon.

Opposition leaders had provided documentary proofs to media perons against Mr. Singh’s and his families original and revised IT returns as there is a phenomenal rise in his modified returns from 2008 to 2011.

Mr. Singh had filed a return of Rs. 7.35 lakh as his agricultural income in 20018-09 and that rose to become 2.21 crore in his revised returns. His aggregate income became Rs. 2.37 crore from mere Rs. 23.73 lakhs.

Similarly, his agricultural income from Rs. 15 lakh and total income from Rs. 59.67 lakhs became Rs. 2.80 crore and Rs. 3.25 crore respectively in the revised returns of 2009-10. In the amended IT return of 2010-11 Mr. Virbhadra Singh’s income of Rs. 25 lakh from farm house and Rs. 40.13 lakh from all sources suddenly became Rs. 1.55 crore and 1.70 crore.

During about eight press conference addressed by Mr. Arun Dhumal provided such documents to media persons commenting on Mr. Singh. Mr. Arun Dhumal stated that he should share his farm knowledge with other farmers of the state and tell them how his money has grown on apple trees.

“Crores of money in cash had been deposited in the account of one of his men Anand Chauhan and LIC’s lucrative one time premium policies had been bought the very next day on the names of Mr. Singh, his wife Pratibha Singh, son Vikramaditya and daughter Aprajita,” disclosed Mr. Dhumal while releasing the copies of various agreements made between Chief Minister and the contractors.

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