SHIMLA: At a time when chief minister Jai Ram Thakur-led government has started the process to withdraw cases against the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), former chief minister Virbhadra Singh has termed the decision of the state government as premature and unwarranted."HPCA matters are already pending before different courts in the state and in the Supreme Court ," said Virbhadra. He said courts have taken cognizance of the cases and the present government should have logically waited for the final decision on such criminal cases.After coming to power in December 2012, Virbhadra-led Congress government had ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities committed by HPCA following which the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau had registered various cases against the cricket association and its office-bearers including the then president and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur.The first FIR in HPCA case was registered by the vigilance bureau on August 1, 2013, at the vigilance bureau police station in Dharamshala. Another case was slapped against HPCA on November 29, 2013 under the charges of criminal trespass, criminal conspiracy and corruption. Later more FIRs were registered against the HPCA.The HPCA was mainly accused of converting the society into a company, encroaching government land for the construction of the cricket stadium at Dharamshala and felling chir and pine trees for the construction of Hotel Pavilion.

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