Shimla: Prosecution today concluded arguments before a trial court about framing of charges in a corruption case slapped on union minister Virbhadra Singh over an old audio cassette that allegedly contains his voice in telephone conversation referring to illegal money transactions.
Public prosecutor Jiwan Lal Sharma let Hill Post know that after having presented the defense counsel a certified copy of the audio cassette at the last hearing, the presiding special judge BL Soni today permitted playing of its contents in open court.
The case now stands listed for June 6.
State vigilance and anti-corruption bureau have made out a corruption case under Prevention of Corruption Act against Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh after carrying out investigations into the recorded conversations on the contentious audio cassette that was first publically played before media persons by Major Vijay Singh Mankotia in 2007.
Disputing the authenticity of the allegedly secretly recorded telephone conversations said to have taken place in late 1989 and early 1990 between a deceased bureaucrat Mohinder Lal, Virbhadra Singh and his wife, the defense side are asking for dropping of charges and the case, a plea that has been turned down by HP High Court three times.
Charge sheet against the union minister and his wife was filed before the trial court in October, 2010 and the court is hearing arguments to decide on the basis of evidence presented whether a case is made out or not.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
