New Delhi, February 6: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the trial court order to frame charges against former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets worth over Rs 10 crore.
Justice Sunil Gaur also sought the CBI’s response on pleas of Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh, challenging the trial court order to frame charges.
The 82-year-old Congress leader and his wife had sought quashing of the December 10, 2018, trial court order directing framing of charges against them and seven others. The matter is listed before the trial court on February 22 for formal framing of charges.
CBI special public prosecutor Anil Grover told the court that the agency has already filed an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging a limited part of the HC’s 2017 order in which it had said the consent issue would be adjudicated by the trial court.
Before the apex court, the CBI has sought clarification on the nature of sanction needed to probe any offence committed in the state.
The CBI contended before the HC that there was a general consent granted by the Himachal Pradesh Government on August 24, 1990 to probe offences of Central Government employees in the territory of the state.
Singh, however, contended that the consent order does not take within its scope a Central minister.
