Shimla: Former Himachal Pradesh CM and Union Minister Virbhadra Singh has been accused of corruption. The Himachal Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against Virbhadra and his wife Pratibha Singh on the basis of a CD released in May 2007.
The spy recording has landed Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh in the corruption case.
When the Congressman was CM of Himachal Pradesh, his archrival in the party Vijay Mankotia had released an audio CD in which he allegedly can be heard bargaining for money with IAS officer Mahinder Lal who is now dead.
It also has audio recording of his wife Pratibha talking to the same officer telling him that she has received less than the promised sum.
Now forensic experts have declared the voices on the CD belong to the Singhs and the Himachal Vigilance Department has filed a case of corruption.
This is enough reason for the state BJP government to jump into the picture.
"The Forensic Science Laboratory has verified that the CD is not doctored and the voice is that of Virbhadra Singh," said Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, Himachal.
But Virbhadra has rubbished these allegations.
"This is a cheap political gimmick by the BJP government in Himachal. I had filed a case against Vijay Singh Mankotia. The matter is still in court. If such a CD exists, it is doctored," he said.
The use of the CD was banned by the High Court, which is hearing the Singh vs Mankotia case. But even though it's out of public domain it has not stopped haunting Singh's political career.