Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh to appear before ED tomorrow

SHIMLA: Chief minister Virbhadra Singh would be appearing before ED in Delhi on Thursday in prevention of money laundering case. He said earlier too he had appeared before CBI when summoned. Before his leaving for Delhi, two Cabinet ministers warned BJP that if any effort was made for illegal action against Virbhadra Singh, then they would have to face serious consequences.
Interacting with media persons in Shimla, when asked about his appearance before ED, Virbhadra Singh said he would. ED has summoned Virbhadra Singh on April 13 for questioning. On Wednesday morning, Virbhadra Singh would leave for Delhi and would return on Friday.
In November 2015, ED had registered a case against Virbhadra Singh under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after taking cognizance of criminal complaint filed by CBI in this regard in September 2015.
In a statement, irrigation and public health minister Vidya Stokes and industries minister Mukesh Agnihotri alleged that BJP government at centre was misusing the central investigating agencies against its political opponents, which was not a healthy practice. They said the investigation by three agencies in a single case against Virbhadra Singh clearly indicates the nefarious designs of BJP and people were closely watching these developments.
However, despite all odds, state government had ensured unprecedented development in the state and it would again form the government, they added.
Ministers said that Congress party was not afraid of the conspiracies of BJP against Virbhadra Singh and entire party and MLAs were strongly behind him. They said that BJP had been trying to destabilize the democratically elected government in the state and the people of the state would never tolerate this at any level.
They said that Virbhadra Singh had always cooperated in the investigation process but it was unfortunate that he was being interrogated time and again by investigating agencies. They said that Chief Minister did not even oppose the CBI raid on the internal directions of BJP in his house during the marriage ceremony of his daughter.
Stokes and Agnihotri said that Virbhadra Singh is supreme and most respected leader of Congress party and he would never tolerate his insult silently. They said that assembly elections were due in the state during this year and keeping this in mind, BJP leaders were involved in malicious propaganda against the chief minister to mislead the people and take political mileage.
They said the Congress party was not afraid of such tactics of the BJP and it would fight the elections under his leadership on the agenda of development and welfare. They added that the state BJP was passing through a critical stage where the fight for the leadership was at peak whereas there was no such infighting within the congress party.