In a setback to Virbhadra Singh, a trial court in Shimla turned down his plea for further investigation into a graft case against him and his wife Pratibha Singh.
trial court special judge B L Soni said “The accused here has no local standi to demand further investigation and such powers have to be exercised by the investigating agencies under Section 173 (8) of the Criminal Procedure Code,”
He has listed the case on March 26 for consideration of charges. Virbhadra Singh and his wife were booked by the state police in 2009 under the Prevention of Corruption Act, for alleged misuse of his official position and criminal misconduct when he was the chief minister in 1989. They were booked Aug 3, 2009, on the basis of an audio CD released by his political adversary Vijai Singh Mankotia in 2007.
Virbhadra Singh had described the investigations as “biased and incomplete” and sought further probe into the case. Special public prosecutor Jiwan Lal Sharma said the court found that the investigation was complete and the accused can’t demand further investigation.
