Shimla, Aug 4 - Police in Himachal Pradesh have filed corruption cases against Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh, officials said Tuesday. The complaint against Singh was misuse of official position and criminal misconduct when chief minister in 1989, a charge denied by him.

'Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh were booked Monday night by the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. They were booked under sections related to misuse of official position and criminal misconduct,' Inspector General of Police (Vigilance) S.R. Mardi told IANS.

He said they were booked on the basis of an audio CD released by (Virbhadra Singh's political adversary) Vijai Singh Mankotia in 2007. In the CD, Virbhadra Singh was heard referring to some monetary transactions on phone with former IAS officer Mahinder Lal, who is now dead. The CD also contained recordings of his wife, a former MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.

The police also sent the CD and their voice samples for analysis at the Chandigarh-based Central Forensic Science Laboratory.

According to a statement released by the vigilance bureau, the couple has been booked on the complaint of former IAS officer S.M. Katwal on the basis of the CD released by Mankotia.

However, Virbhadra Singh refuted the allegations against him and his wife.