In the series of scams that the BJP promises to hurl back at the Congress by way of response to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations against top ruling party leaders, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad released Thursday’s tranche against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
Termed “Applegate”, the BJP’s charge against Virbhadra relates to a preliminary enquiry by the CBI in a disproportionate assets case.
Underlining the case details, Prasad said: “Rahul Gandhi is posing a lot of questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Let Rahul Gandhi give a few answers to us on the corruption scandals related to the Chief Ministers of various Congress-ruled States.
“We talked about the Uttarakhand Chief Minister yesterday and today, we release proof of corruption against Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh.”
He alleged that Virbhadra and his family members took unsecured loans from businessman Vakamulla Chandrashekhar Reddy in lieu of allotment of State government contracts.
The accusation had first been made in 2013 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who had also complained then to the CBI and written a letter to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The accusation, repeated by Prasad, is that Virbhadra gave an extension to Ventura Energy and Technology Pvt Ltd for completing a hydel power project in the State despite the State government’s earlier decision to terminate the contract on grounds of default in execution.
Prasad reiterated earlier accusations about discrepancies in Virbhadra’s agricultural income of about ₹6.56 crore in three years starting 2009-10. Income-tax notices had been sent to Virbhadra and his insurance agent Anand Chouhan, who was said to be managing his orchards in Rampur.
The IT notices pertained to how his income should not be reassessed as it showed a sudden, four-fold increase. There were other aspects to the IT enquiry, especially about the curious transport of the agricultural produce — apples — in two-wheelers and oil tankers. Although the CM had filed revised returns, the same had been challenged in the Delhi High Court through a PIL.
Denies chargesVirbhadra, in the meantime, denied the allegations and asserted that these are being made as a reaction to the Congress’ campaign against BJP leaders.
“The CBI has recently registered a preliminary enquiry against Virbhadra Singh in the alleged disproportionate assets case. The case is a classic example of the BJP-led government at the Centre misusing and pressurising investigating agencies to register false cases against its political opponents with an intention of harassing them and diverting public attention from the burning issues if corruption and impropriety in which it is deeply embroiled,” the Himachal CM said in a statement.
“There is nothing new in the allegations made against Virbhadra Singh. The same unsubstantiated allegations regarding his income-tax returns were raised by the BJP during the 2012 Assembly elections with a view to tarnish the image of Virbhadra Singh, who was leading the Congress campaign in the State at that time, and spoil the prospects of the Congress winning the elections.
“Much hype was created about these allegations and a malicious propaganda was launched by the BJP. However, the people of the State saw through the plans of the BJP and returned the Congress to power with a thumping majority,” it added.