File picture of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
The BJP is piling pressure on the Virbhadra Singh government in Himachal Pradesh, over allegations that it threatened and harassed a police officer investigating money laundering charges against a key aide of the Chief Minister.
The allegations had been levelled by BS Negi, an Enforcement Directorate officer, who said he had been pressured to go soft on Subhash Ahluwalia, Principal Private Sectary to Virbhadra Singh, who has been under investigation in a disproportionate assets case.
The BJP walked out of the Assembly in protest on Monday, after its demand for a discussion on the matter was turned down. "The ED officer has written to Joint Secretary, Home, that he has been threatened. We were demanding a discussion on this issue in the House, but were denied by the Speaker. We staged a walkout when our demand was not met," said Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Leader of Opposition.
The Chief Minister however, while confirming that he did indeed meet with Mr Negi, denied any wrongdoing. "The officer had met me on a courtesy call. I never threatened him. He is trying to blackmail by giving out such statements," said Virbhadra Singh.
BS Negi, a state police officer posted with Enforcement Directorate is investigating a money laundering case against Mr Subhash Ahluwalia. He had recently lodged a complaint with government alleging that he was being pressured to go soft on Mr Ahluwalia. He had also said that the state's Chief Secretary had written to the Union Finance Ministry, that Mr Negi be returned to the Himachal Pradesh police cadre.
A retired IAS officer, Mr Ahluwalia also served as Virbhadra Singh's Principal Private Secretary during his previous tenure, between 2003 and 2007. He had been arrested when BJP came to power in 2008 in a disproportionate assets case.
The state government in its letter to center has cited shortage of police officers in the state as the reason for Mr Negi's recall. The opposition has hit back, asking for the names of other such officers on central deputation whose repatriation the state government has demanded.