The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Himachal Pradesh High Court order restraining it from interrogating Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in an alleged corruption case.
An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu said it would hear the plea by the investigating agency on the opening day after the Dusshera holidays on October 26.
Additional Solicitor General PS Patwalia, appearing for the agency, said the High Court order has virtually stalled the investigation process by granting relief, such as protection from arrest and no interrogation of accused without its prior permission.
On Wednesday, the CBI and the Income Tax department filed a status report in the Delhi High Court on the allegations against Singh in the assets case in a sealed cover.
The Himachal Pradesh HC had on October 1 restrained CBI from arresting Singh and his wife in the DA case but had allowed the inquiry in the matter to proceed.
The Chief Minister had filed a petition in the High Court pleading that the raids on his private residence and other premises were conducted with “malafide intentions and political vendetta” by the investigating agency.