Ahead of Mandi bypoll,police probe CD

AN investigation has been ordered to verify the authenticity and origin of a video CD being circulated in Mandi ahead of the June 23 Lok Sabha bypoll,police said.

The CD allegedly shows images of a man,purported to be former union minister Sukh Ram,with a woman. The veteran Congress leader,who is now 87 and currently out on bail in the 1996 telecom scam,has been one of the lead campaigners for Congress candidate Pratibha Singh,wife of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

It is true there is some CD in circulation. We have received a compliant. A case will be registered at the CID police station Shimla under Information Technology Act and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986, Additional Director General of Police (CID) S R Mardi said on Friday.

Story continues below this ad

Neither Sukh Ram nor his son Anil Sharma,who is a minister in the Virbhadra Singh government,were available for a comment.

Congress spokesman and Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri accused the opposition BJP of resorting to dirty tactics in the elections. He said the authenticity of the CD was doubtful.

I am sure it is the handiwork of the BJP and a sign of frustration in the opposition camp. The BJP has done it before,and it is resorting to this game again. But the people of Himachal Pradesh will reject such attempts to defame an aged and veteran Congress leader like Sukh Ram, Agnihotri said.

Congress leaders complained to the chief minister and top officials after they received information about the CD. Police were then called in,and it was decided that the CID should register a case to investigate the source of the video.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram