The filing of case against former Chief Minister of Punjab and Congress star campaigner in the forthcoming assembly polls Captain Amrinder Singh, under various sections of Income Tax Act, it certainly said to be a major setback to the party.
Besides him two more Congress Chief Ministers are also locked in probe by central investigation agencies, who are need to face assembly polls next year. They are Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virabhadra Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat.
Amarinder Singh has accused the government of political vendetta. He said if the charges made out against him were true then why it was not taken up earlier. He asked the government to furnish the address with the proof of ownership of properties abroad.
The CBI had earlier this month told Delhi High Court that its probe in the disproportionate case against Virbhadra Singh and others was “complete” and it wanted to file the charge sheet in the matter. The CBI reportedly found that Virbhadra Singh had accumulated assets worth Rs 6.03 crore in his name and in the name of his family members, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income, during his tenure as the Union Steel Minister from 2009 to 2011.
In March, The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued orders for attachment of his assets worth of about Rs 8 crore. If the CBI files charge sheet ahead of assembly polls, Congress fears he would be forced to resign and even CBI may resort to arrest him.
Meanwhile, Harish Rawat is facing CBI probe into a criminal case of a purported sting video released by rebel Congress MLAs to allege that they were being offered money by him. The Rawat’s cabinet sent a proposal to the CBI to withdraw investigations in the case. Rawat had earlier been evading the CBI summonses, in connection with the probe. The CBI is yet to take a decision on it.
