HP: BJP submit another chargesheet against Cong

Shimla, June 29: The Himachal BJP today urged Governor VS Kokje to order a probe by a sitting High Court judge or a CBI inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his MP wife, Pratibha Singh.

In a memorandum submitted to the governor, a BJP delegation led by National Vice President, Shanta Kumar, former chief minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal, state BJP president, Jai Ram Thakur and leader of BJP group in Vidhan Sabha ID Dhiman said that the audio CD exposing the alleged corrupt deeds of the Chief Minister, and re-instatement of controversial Police officer BS Thind required a high level probe to bring the truth to light.

Handing over the memorandum and audio CD to the governor, the BJP leader, Shanta Kumar said that the CD spoke for itself and no evidence was required in this case.

Later, talking to media persons, Mr. Kumar said it was surprising that the chief minister had not resigned on moral grounds after the CD was made public and even the party high command tried to play down the issue and allowed Mr Singh to continue.

Mr Kumar said it was first time in the history of independent India that conversation regarding corrupt deeds of a chief minister had been recorded and exposed in public.

The contents of the CD prove beyond doubt that the chief minister allegedly used the officers for collecting money, who extracted money from businessmen and traders for doing their works, he said.

The BJP leader further said that the CD also hinted that the money collected through alleged corrupt means was kept with Pratibha Singh, wife of the Chief Minister as per the conversation of a retired officer, Mohinder Lal and Pratibha Singh. Another serious fact, which came to light in the CD was that Virbhadra Singh allegedly misused the officers for manipulating elections, he said.

Mr Kumar said it was surprising that the party had submitted four charge sheets against the government during past four years to the governor with documentary evidences, but no action had been taken.

''We are hopeful that the governor will take a suitable action on the memorandum this time and guilty would be brought to books,'' he said, adding that in case no action was taken, the BJP would launch a state wide mass mobilization campaign to expose the government.

The memorandum alleged that the suitcase, which reportedly went missing from chief minister's office sometime ago, contained Rs 1.50 crores and half of this money was recovered from a security guard.

The question how this suitcase reached the CM office and why complaint was not lodged with the Police about the theft must be answered and it was possible only through a serious inquiry.

About hundred BJP men, including Rajya Sabha member, Suresh Bhardwaj, party general secretary, Khushi Ram Balnatah and former minister, Radha Raman Shastri were present on the occasion.

UNI