I am being subjected to media trial, claims Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Saturday alleged that he and his family members are being subjected to a "malicious media trial" through "false" and "baseless" stories about their income tax matters.

"It appears that some vested interests and political opponents are running biased personal investigations into the matters of my family and behaving like reckless complainants, prosecutors and judges unto themselves," Singh said in a statement issued in Shimla on Saturday.

"It is surprising that some people are claiming access to the ongoing internal proceedings and classified documents of the Income Tax Department and in case it is true, it is against norms of secrecy and governance," he said.

He said the matters pertaining to their Income Tax Returns are sub-judice and being looked into by the Income Tax authorities.

"It appears that these people have no faith in the judiciary and the process of law and have lost patience to wait for the outcome of the investigations being conducted by the Central agencies," he said.

The Chief Minister said "unnecessary hype" is being created in the media by "suppressing, fabricating and distorting" facts to malign his image and influence the ongoing proceedings in the matter. He said unlike his detractors, he has full faith in the rule of law and was always ready and willing to subject himself to the process of law.