Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Virbhadra Singh is the latest blow to the Congress led UPA government.  A 23-year old case creates issues to the minister who is to resign from the cabinet today at Delhi. This is in response to a Himachal Pradesh court ruling in the case on Monday. The court ordered the framing of charges of conspiracy and corruption against him.

The Minister is to voluntarily step down to fight for justice and prove his innocence in the case. “No one has asked me to resign. I will prove I am innocent, will present case to people," retold the Minister to the media. He also retorted that this was false case and foisted by the BJP to destabilise the Congress.

The Minister along with his wife Pratibha Singh, have been charged in the case. The case dates back to 1989, when he was the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. The minister has been accused of misusing his official position and of criminal misconduct then, based on an audio CD which purportedly contains a conversation between a voice that is allegedly that of Mr Singh talking to an IAS officer and some industrialists about investment in the state.

It also purportedly has Mrs Singh's voice on it. The CD was released by a political rival, Vijai Singh Mankotia, in 2007 and Mr and Mrs Singh were booked by the state vigilance department under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2009. (With inputs from internet- AW AarKay)