In Himachal Pradesh, a special court of Shimla today framed charges against Union Minister for micro, small and medium enterprises and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh in a 23- year old case of alleged corruption.

After hearing the arguements of both the parties, the special judge B.L.Soni said that there is sufficient material on record to frame charges against Virbhadra Singh and his wife in the infamous audio CD case which allegedly contains their conversation with a retired IAS officer, Mohinder Lal and KN Sharma , the then OSD to Virbhadra Singh regarding some monetary deal in the year 1989.

According to the special prosecutor Jiwan Lal Sharma, the matter would be decided now in the Himachal Pradesh High Court where the accused has already filed a case seeking quashing of the FIR or transferring the investigations to the CBI. Singh has shown apprehension against the impartiality of the state BJP Government in the case. He said the trial would start only after the matter pending in the high court is disposed off.

His political adversary Vijay Singh Mankotia had released this CD in 2007 and the case was filed in the special trial court in October 2010.

The Union Minister Virbhadra Singh faces the charges of criminal misconduct and misuse of his office as the chief minister of the state in 1989

In his reaction, the Union Minister Mr Singh said the CD is concocted one and the State BJP Government has hatched conspiracy against him. He said he does not want to embarrass his party and the Prime Minister and he will take appropriate action at the right time.

On the hand the State Chief Minister Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal welcomed the verdict of the court and said that it was Mr Virbhadra who has taken the case to the High Court in 2007.