Virbhadra firms up for CM post as graft case weakens

With two high profile prosecution witnesses denying having bribed their way to obtain clearances for industrial projects, weakening the corruption case against Virbhadra Singh, the former Union minister on Monday said it is a vindication of his stand that the case was "false and fabricated."

Stating that he will urge the special CBI court to dismiss the case, Virbhadra on Monday also hit back at former state Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur for his statement that AICC chief Sonia Gandhi "will not make a tainted leader the state's chief minister if the Congress returns to power in Himachal Pradesh."

"Such statements of Kaul Singh Thakur will not benefit anyone, including himself. I don't know who are his advisers and well wishers (suggesting him to say so)," Virbhadra said while talking to the media at the party office here.

While Thakur has so far not named him - the five time chief minister is once again eyeing the CM's chair - but sopurces said, his comment was directed against Virbhadra who took over as PCC chief replacing Thakur ahead of November 4 assembly elections.

Virbhadra made it clear that if Thakur was referring to the corruption case filed against him by the BJP government he (Thakur) should know that the case has already fallen flat and will not stand judicial the scrutiny. "It is because of these reasons that I chose to face the trial court," he said.

"Look how both Kapil Mohan and P C Jain have categorically denied the charges in the court. I don't feel any need to produce defence witnesses and instead will request the court to deliver its verdict," he added.

P C Jain, a former vice-president of Gujrat Ambuja Cement Ltd., and Kapil Mohan, managing director of Mohan Meakin Ltd brewery, while deposing in the court had said that their statements recorded by the prosecution were false and that they have never offered or gave bribes to Virbhadra and his wife Pratibha Singh.

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