Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh
Fresh allegations of corruption have been made against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh whose party, the Congress, had put up a solid defence of the 79-year-old leader earlier this week.
Documents show that in May last year, the owner of a private company called Venture Energy allegedly transferred Rs 1.2 crore into Mr Singh's bank account. A month later, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved an extension to the company's hydel-power project in the state's Chamba district.
Rs 60 lakh was also allegedly transferred in the chief minister's parliamentarian wife, Pratibha Singh's bank account in February 2013.
The couple has denied the charges, calling themselves victims of a conspiracy by their rival PK Dhumal and his son Anurag Thakur of the BJP to divert attention from the investigation into the alleged irregularities committed by Mr Thakur as he headed Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association during his father's tenure as chief minister of the state.
"Kumar Dhumal and Anurag Thakur are scared of the vigilance inquires against them. That's why this conspiracy. I will come out clean," Virbhadra Singh said. His wife, Pratibha, says they are ready for a CBI inquiry into the allegations against them.
Businessman Vakamullah Chandrasekhar, who owns Venture Energy, has denied allegations of an under-the-table deal with the Himachal Chief Minister.
"Loan given by me is being projected as a bribe, which is wrong. It is a matter between the two families. I gave loan to Virbhadra in 2010-11 when he was not the chief minister. We have been family friends for 17 years," Mr Chandrasekhar told NDTV.
The Congress has been defending the Himachal leader with even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh evading a question on allegations against Virbhadra Singh at a press conference yesterday.
Senior Congress leader Ambika Soni also came to the beleagured chief minister's rescue on Friday and slammed the BJP for politicising the issue.
The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet is scheduled to meet today where the council of ministers is likely to pass a resolution extending full support to the chief minister.
Meanwhile, the BJP has demanded the chief minister's resignation and has called for protest and dharna in state capital Shimla today.