Supreme Court sends notice to Virbhadra, wife on CBI plea

New Delhi, Oct.26: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife on the CBI’s plea against the High Court order granting him relief in an alleged disproportionate assets case. A bench of Justices FMI Kalifulla and UU Lalit asked the CM and his wife to file a reply by November 5, the next date of hearing. Seeking custodial interrogation of Singh and his wife, CBI had moved the South Carolina last Thursday and asked for an urgent hearing of its plea against the HC order, which it claimed virtually stalled the probe into the case.

“…by way of abundant precaution, it’s made clear that the petitioners shall not be arrested”, a division bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sureshwar Singh Thakur said.

Rohatgi referred to newspaper reports to buttress his point, inviting jibes from senior counsels Kapil Sibal and P.Chidambaram for reading media reports as an extension of court orders. Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of the investigating agency, alleged that the chief minister amassed unaccounted wealth of Rs. 6 crore during his tenure as the Union minister of steel between 2009 and 2011.

The Himachal Pradesh HC had on October 1 restrained CBI from arresting Singh and his wife in the DA case but had allowed the enquiry in the matter to proceed with a direction that the court be informed before interrogating the couple.

“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 CBI had filed a transfer petition and a special leave petition in the apex court, seeking transfer of the case against Singh from Himachal Pradesh to Delhi and suspension of the High Court’s order.

Virbhadra had sought directions from the high court to quash the FIR registered against him and his wife under Sections 13(2) and 13(1) (e) of Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 109 of IPC by CBI on September 23 here in Delhi.