DA case: High Court stays Virbhadra Singh's arrest

Rallying behind embattled Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh after CBI raids at his residences in a disproportionate assets case, a delegation of state ministers, Congress MLAs and leaders today submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking "appropriate action" to uphold democratic traditions.

He said that the way the central government had targeted Virbhadra Singh, misusing the government machinery, was not a good sign for the country.

The next date of hearing in the case is November 18.

"The petitioners will suffer irreparable loss and injury in case interim directions are not issued at this stage".

"If the CBI is required to arrest them, it would first inform the court", the court said. "These observations shall have no bearing on the pendency of any case, including before the Delhi High Court". Senior Supreme Court lawyer and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal appeared for the chief minister.

All state ministers, Congress and Independent MLAs, and Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee office-bearers petitioned the President this evening, alleging that the chief minister is being targeted by the BJP-led central government.

The CBI had acted without jurisdiction by conducting probe into alleged offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the highest democratically elected constitutional functionary in the state without any consent from the state government, a pre-requisite under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Establishment Act, the petition said. The HC issued directives on a petition filed by Singh against whom an FIR was registered by the CBI last week and his residences raided on September 26. At that time, the chief minister and his family were busy with his daughter's marriage.