Virbhadra Singh files defamation case against three BJP leaders

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Thursday filed a defamation case against former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) PK Dhumal, Arun Jaitley and Anurag Thakur.

"I have filed a defamation case against 3 people which includes, K Dhumal, Arun Jaitley and Anurag Thakur," said Singh.

Prem Kumar Dhumal had accused Virbhadra Singh of re-allotting the hydel project, to the same company despite most of the ministers in the Cabinet being against the decision.

"Despite most of the ministers in the Cabinet being against the decision, the project was given to the same company. In the name of FDI he introduced an NRI to execute the project," he said.

"It was rejected within six months of its allotment and three times this issue went to the cabinet for reconsideration," he added.

He said it was all due to the Virbhadra Singh who brought it thrice in the cabinet. Later on, the Supreme Court said that the power project should undergo 'reconsideration' and not're-allotted' but it was re-allotted to the same person.

He further said that the Congress was trying to give an impression that the BJP had re-allotted the project.

The Himachal Pradesh chief minister has been accused by the BJP of indulging in a quid pro quo dealing with a private company. Arun Jaitley had accused Singh of being involved in three cases of corruption, one of which involved the owner of a private company.

He alleged that Virbhadra and his wife Pratibha Singh had received a sum of one crore fifty thousand and two crores respectively from Vanshri Vakamula Chandrashekar, the owner of Venture Energy and Technology Private Limited.

He claimed that the same money was invested in a new company opened by Chandrashekar called Taarini Enterprise Private Limited, through which, Singh's wife, his son and daughter became its shareholders.

On Thursday, Virbhadra Singh had said," Prove me wrong, and, I will quit politics, forget my post."

Over past one week, both the BJP and the Congress have launched protests against each other over the issue.

On December 31, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha had protested in front of Rahul Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence, and raised anti- Congress slogans. Some even tried to cross the steel and iron barricades.

On January 1, activists from the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India (NSUI) sought to take a protest march towards the official residence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh but were stopped in the middle by the police