New Delhi: Launching a blistering attack on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for their “silence” over allegations of corruption against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, BJP on Sunday dared the state government to give its consent for CBI inquiry into these charges. “The Congress Party and Virbhadra Singh have decided to brazen out the allegations of corruption. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will hide behind silence,” Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley on Sunday said on his blog.
Noting that the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister has dared anyone to either lodge an FIR against him or to prove the allegations of corruption, Jaitley said that his letter to the CBI Director on December 29 in this regard constitutes an FIR. “In order to investigate the same, the consent of the State Government under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police (Establishment) Act is required. “I dare the State Government of Himachal Pradesh to give its consent so that an investigation into these allegations can also take place,” he said.
Jaitley’s hard hitting remarks on the Congress leadership came amid indications that Congress has decided to fight out the issue backing Virbhadra Singh and dubbing the allegations as part of Opposition’s conspiracy against him.
The BJP leader said two allegations against the Himachal Pradesh Chief Miniser is already being investigated by the CBI as per his understanding. It is the third allegation relating to his dealings with a power company which now requires to be “investigated and proved”, Jaitley said.
He alleged that Singh, his family members and their company have received interest free loan from the promoter of a power company, which had transactions with the Himachal Government.
The state government had at a given point of time passed orders favouring the company. The BJP leader said that the facts prima facie “establish” that the loaned money is used for buying shareholding in other group companies of the lender.
Alleging that certain facts showing round tripping of money have also surfaced, Jaitley said that section 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act punishes a public servant who accepts and obtains for himself or any other person any valuable thing from a party which is likely to be concerned in any proceeding or business transaction with which he is connected in his official capacity.
“This offence is punishable upto five years. Knowing fully well that the power company is doing business with the State of Himachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister and his wife accept interest free loan. This transaction also violates provisions of section 13(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. “The offence under this section is punishable for obtaining a valuable thing by a public servant for himself or for any other person without a consideration. Admittedly, an interest free loan is a valuable thing received without a consideration,” Jaitley said.
Noting that section 20 of the Prevention of Corruption Act is the most effective provision of the Act, he said that if an acceptance of a valuable thing other than a legal remuneration takes place by a public servant it is presumed to be for the purposes of bribery. “The onus then shifts on the public servant to establish why this is still not a bribery. It is for this reason that I have called it an open and shut case. This case obviously cannot be investigated by the Himachal Pradesh police against its own Chief Minister,” he said while strongly advocating a CBI inquiry into the matter.
He said the initial allegation against Singh relating to the initials ‘VBS’ which were found in the diary of a steel manufacturing company is already being investigated by the CBI. “The second allegation relates to the deposit of Rs 5.5 crores in a Shimla Bank account and the transfer of that money by one Anand Chauhan for the benefit of VB Singh and his family members’ LIC policies. This allegation I understand is also being investigated by the CBI,” he said.
BJP has sought to make a big issue out of the case and its Youth wing President Anurag Thakur had held a protest outside the Rahul’s residence over the issue last week. (PTI)
