I took loans from company because I need money, Virbhadra says

NEW DELHI: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh slammed accusations of quid pro quo with a power company he has taken loans from, saying he had cancelled the said project while BJP had gone out of its way to give extensions to the defaulting company. Singh told reporters that facts contradict ny suggestions of give and take with the power company Venture Energy. “We initially cancelled the Sai Kothi project in 2003 that was awarded by Prem Kumar Dhumal government. Congress government restored it on the supreme court orders and then cancelled it in 2013. So where is the question of favouring the company,” Singh said.The chief minister said he took loans from the company because he needed money for which he did not want to liquidate his investments and banks would not have given him loan because of age. “The loans were taken by cheque. Is there any case in India where bribe has been taken by cheques and paid back by cheques?” he asked. Singh said the allegations were part of Arun Jaitley and former CM Dhumal’s attempt to get him out of the way. “Because they see me as the biggest roadblock in their politics in Himachal,” he said. The CM said he had taken loans when he was a Union minister in 2011 and could not have favored the power company. “That time I never knew I would be the CM again,” he said.The HP leader said the Congress leadership had full faith in him and had not sought any explanation from him. “I have filed criminal defamation against Jaitley and Dhumal and would take it to its logical conclusion,” he said.An angry Singh added he had one of the biggest orchards in the state and it was unacceptable that he be accused of faking the transportation of apple produce, referring to allegations that the vehicles shown for carrying apples were actually scooters.“250 trucks were used and a fault has been found with three. Those three are also a mistake in noting the vehicle numbers in haste. But even otherwise, it is a mistake of the retailer who transports the produce and not mine,” he said.