Tax Case: CBI files chargesheet against Virbhadra Singh

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 31 March filed a chargesheet against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in the Disproportionate Assets (DA) case.

The chargesheet also contains the name of Singh's wife Pratibha along with others, bringing the total upto nine.

Life Insurance Corporation agent Anand Chauhan, his associate Chunni Lal, Joginder Singh Ghalta, Prem Raj, Lawan Kumar Roach, Vakamullah Chandrashekhra and Ram Prakash Bhatia have been named in the chargesheet.

The fresh blow to the Chief Minister comes after the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea challenging the FIR filed by the CBI in the Disproportionate Assets case.

The CBI had registered an FIR for alleged property of Rs. six crore amassed between 2009-12 during Virbhadra's tenure as the union steel minister.

The Chief Minister had earlier dubbed the CBI action as "politically motivated".

Virbhadra and his family members are also facing investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on same charges.

The CBI had registered a case earlier in 2015.

Virbhadra had initially filed a plea in the Himachal Pradesh High Court for quashing the FIR registered against him.

The matter was later transferred to the Delhi High Court by the Supreme Court.

-ANI