Hearing in Virbhadra Singh's disproportionate assets case put off to November 30

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday adjourned hearing in the disproportionate assets case against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh to November 30. The court also allowed Singh and his wife's plea seeking exemption from personal appearance for a day.

Virbhadra Singh has been charged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly being in possession of assets worth nearly Rs 10.5 crore in his own name as well as in the names of his family members.

Apart from Virbhadra Singh and his wife, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent Anand Chauhan and his associates Chunni Lal, Joginder Singh Ghalta, Prem Raj, Lawan Kumar Roach, Vakamullah Chandrashekhar and Ram Prakash Bhatia have also been charged by the CBI.

It was alleged that between May 28, 2009 and June 26, 2012, Virbhadra Singh, as the Union Minister of Steel and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, committed the criminal misconduct. His wife and other accused allegedly abetted the offence by investing his money in the names of his family members.

Pratibha Singh has been accused of intentionally and actively abetting Virbhadra Singh in "investing his ill-gotten and unaccounted money in her and their children's names".