Delhi High Court today adjourned the hearing on Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s petition transferred by Supreme Court on Nov 5th to Delhi HC as CBI moved before the SC against the Himachal Pradesh HC order challenging relief granted to Mr. Singh in Rs.6 crore disproportionate assets case.
The matter was fixed for hearing first time at Delhi HC today after transferring the entire records on SC’s order but it was further deferred to Jan 12, 2016 as the Judge is on leave before whom this case was fixed for hearing.
Mr. Singh has got about 1 month relief from this case as Supreme Court did not set aside relief granted to Mr. Singh and his wife Mrs. Pratibha Singh a former MP of Lok Sabha from Mandi with deferring of hearing of this case as concerned Judge of Court is on leave.
On Nov 5, 2015 SC bench of Justice F.M.I. Kalifulla and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit passed these order on the CBI plea challenging the Himachal Pradesh High Court order restraining it from investigating the chief minister and his wife or arresting them.
SC had issued notice to Mr. Singh and his wife into CBI special leave petition on Oct 26 against them. The apex court on Nov 5, 2015 ordered that Delhi High court would consider the Himachal Pradesh High Court order passed on October 1, 2015, directing CBI not to arrest the chief minister and his wife in the disproportionate assets case.
“By way of abundant precaution, it’s made clear that the petitioners shall not be arrested,” a division bench of Himachal Pradesh HC Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sureshwar Singh Thakur said.
“It’s also made clear that as and when the dossier is complete, it shall be open for the CBI to approach this court for permission to interrogate the petitioners in accordance with law,” the high court had said.
The case was registered on September 23rd under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the Himachal Chief Minister, his wife Pratibha Singh, LIC agent Anand Chauhan and an associate Chunni Lal.
Delhi high court on Dec 10, 2015 also disposed off another petition filed by NGO Common Cause against Mr. Singh, ruling that issue was already under investigation by CBI and income tax.
Mr. Singh being a union minister during 2009-2012, has been booked by CBI for allegedly accumulating assets worth Rs.6.03 crore in his name and in the name of his family members which were found to be disproportionate to his known sources of income.
