Arun Jaitley attacks Sonia, Rahul over Virbhadra issue

New Delhi, Jan 5: Firing a fresh salvo,

on Sunday questioned the "silence" of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over

allegations against

and dared the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister to agree to a CBI probe into the charges which he dubbed as politically motivated.

"The Congress Party and Virbhadra Singh have decided to brazen out the allegations of corruption. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will hide behind silence," Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley today said on his blog.

Hitting back, Singh said that both Jaitley and former Chief Minister and BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal had "deliberately suppressed relevant facts" in their press conferences to suit their "ulterior political motive".

"They have made selective opportunist disclosures and tried to mislead by twisting and concealing vital facts," Singh said dismissing the allegations levelled against him by them as as being "false, frivolous and fabricated".

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will hide behind silence: Arun Jaitley

"The accusations are preposterous and politically motivated," Singh said. Noting that the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister has dared anyone to either lodge an FIR against him or to prove the allegations of corruption, Jaitley said that his letter to the CBI Director on December 29 in this regard constitutes an FIR.

"In order to investigate the same, the consent of the State Government under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police (Establishment) Act is required. "I dare the State Government of Himachal Pradesh to give its consent so that an investigation into these allegations can also take place," he said.

Jaitley's hard hitting remarks on the Congress leadership came amid indications that Congress has decided to fight out the issue backing Virbhadra Singh and dubbing the allegations as part of Opposition's conspiracy against him. The BJP leader said two allegations against the Himachal Pradesh Chief Miniser is already being investigated by the CBI as per his understanding.

It is the third allegation relating to his dealings with a power company which now requires to be "investigated and proved", Jaitley said. He alleged that Singh, his family members and their company have received interest free loan from the promoter of a power company, which had transactions with the Himachal Government.

The state government had at a given point of time passed orders favouring the company. The BJP leader said that facts prima facie establish that the loaned money is used for buying shareholding in other group companies of the lender.

PTI