Court summons Virbhadra Singh

 Money laundering case

New Delhi, Feb 12: A court here on Monday issued summons to former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife, accused of money laundering. After accepting the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheet, Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann asked Virbhadra Singh, his wife Pratibha Singh and three others — Chunni Lal Chauhan, Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach to appear before her on March 22.

The ED has chargesheeted Virbhadra Singh, his wife Pratibha Singh and three others — Chunni Lal Chauhan, Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach — under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Special Public Prosecutor N.K. Matta told the court there is enough material on record to proceed against the accused in the case.

Earlier, the ED had filed its first chargesheet against Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent And Chauhan, accusing him of investing Virbhadra Singh’s Rs 5.14 crore in LIC policies purchased in his me and those of his family members, including his wife. A probe had found that Virbahdra Singh had accumulated assets worth Rs 6.03 crore in his me and in the mes of his family members, which were disproportiote to his known sources of income, during his tenure as the Union Steel Minister from 2009 to 2011. (IANS)