The Enforcement Directorate claims to have found irrefutable evidence to arrest Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in the disproportionate assets case, reports The Times of India.
The ED, which is probing money laundering cases against the CM and his associates claims that they have enough proof to say that Singh allegedly forged registers, obtained ante-dated stamp papers and concocted back-dated agreements with apple dealers to seek to explain a big jump in his income — from Rs 47.35 lakh before an income tax raid (on his associates in December 2011) to Rs 6.57 crore after the tax department began proceedings against him.
Singh, who is already being persecuted by the CBI for acquiring assets disproportionate to his legal source of income, could be arrested for fudging documents, besides charges of money laundering, something that could create another political crisis for Congress.
The CM himself also met Party Chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday to explain the charges against him. After an I-T raid on him, Singh changed the returns he had filed for assessment years 2008-09 to 2011-12. He increased his family income for these years from Rs 47.35 lakh to Rs 6.57 crore after a case of disproportionate assets was made out against him.
So far he has been making efforts to avoid going to jail. He can go there any time.Shrikant Sharma, BJP National Secretary
Meanwhile, Singh has attacked the Opposition in the state of using ED and other agencies to destabilise the government.
The ED is probing Singh and family members under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and last week attached his properties worth at least Rs 8 crore, including a flat in Delhi’s GK-1, bank deposits and some LIC policies.
Singh had previously approached the Delhi HC to get exemption from personal appearance before the ED. He may be called in for questioning soon.
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