Author: D K Singh
Publication:  The Indian Express
Date: January 4, 2014
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/virbhadras-apples-worth-crores-went-by-scooters-and-oil--tanker-finds-it/1215317/0

If cattle rode scooters to facilitate the fodder scam in Bihar, claims that two-wheelers and an oil tanker were used to transport tonnes of apples from  Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister  Virbhadra Singh's orchards could give a fresh twist to the alleged  bribery scandal surrounding his tenure as a Union minister.

Income tax authorities in the state have allegedly stumbled upon these startling revelations while investigating Singh's claims of "agriculture income" worth Rs 6.56 crore in the three years starting 2009-10.

Earlier this week, sources said, income tax authorities sent separate notices to Virbhadra and Anand Chouhan, the insurance agent who was said to be managing the CM's Srikhand orchards in Rampur, questioning their claims about the sale of apples that had generated the  agricultural income for Virbhadra.

The authorities have decided to "reopen" Singh's income tax assessment for 2010-11 following detection of discrepancies, it is learnt.

A close aide of the chief minister, however, said, "It has not come to our knowledge", when The Indian Express reached him for comment.

Chouhan, sources said, had claimed to have sold the apples to Chunnilal of Universal Apple Associate in Parwanoo. Chunnilal gave tax authorities registration numbers of 18 vehicles, which he claimed had been used to bring the apples from Virbhadra's orchards.

Investigation by income tax authorities found that two of these are of scooters — HP 06 0768 and HP 06 1123.

Another number (HP 63 4975) was that of an oil tanker. Yet another number (HP 06 4975) had not been allotted at all, it was found. Many other numbers were those of "tripper" vehicles that are not used for transporting apples. Other numbers looked almost similar: HP 63 4975, HP 64 4975, and HP 69 4975.

"Obviously, looking at these registration numbers, no apples were sold to Chunnilal. This means that the money shown as agricultural income was unaccounted," one official alleged.

Earlier this week, the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh levelling several bribery charges against Virbhadra, including an alleged payoff by a steel firm when he was Union steel minister.

On March 2, 2012, Virbhadra had filed revised income tax returns for three financial years, showing agricultural income worth Rs 2.12 crore in 2009-10, Rs 2.80 crore in 2010-11, and Rs 1.55 crore in 2011-12.

He claimed that Chouhan had settled the proceeds of his 105 bigha apple orchard in September 2011, leading to the revision in his income tax returns. In June 2008, Singh and Chouhan had entered into an MoU through which the latter was to manage the orchard and use the proceeds to invest in LIC or mutual funds on behalf of his family.