A special Central Bureau of Investigation court on Monday granted bail to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh in a disproportionate assets case, PTI reported.
The court asked Singh to submit his passport to ensure he does not leave the country without its permission. Singh was also asked to submit a personal bond and surety of Rs 1 lakh for him and his wife. The next hearing will be held on July 27.
Along with the others accused, Singh, who has not been arrested so far, had moved court seeking bail last week. They claimed that since the CBI had already filed the chargesheet, the investigation was complete. The others who have been chargesheeted in the case are Chunni Lal Chauhan, Joginder Singh Ghalta, Prem Raj, Vakamulla Chandrasekhar, Lawan Kumar Roach and Ram Prakash Bhatia.
The 82-year-old Congress leader, in his bail plea, also said he was suffering from several serious ailments. The CBI, however, had opposed his bail and asked the court not to grant it on medical grounds as his medical issues were common. They also said that he was the “king of the state and was involved in corrupt practices”, and that they feared the Congress leader might influence witnesses in the case.
Singh is accused of allegedly amassing assets assets worth Rs 10 crore, which were disproportionate to his income between 2009 and 2011, when he was a union minister. He was also charged with forgery and corruption by the CBI.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!