Supreme Court slams CBI for dilly-dallying on Mayawati’s assets case

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday for dilly-dallying on the issue of prosecuting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in the disproportionate assets case.

A bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar told the CBI counsel that if it was not keen on pursuing the case, then the ‘petition must go’.

“What is this? Every time, you seek time or an adjournment. Sometimes, you seek time for filing reply, then you say that you want to file a counter-affidavit then you say that you want to file an affidavit. If both of you are together then let this petition go,” the bench remarked when the CBI counsel sought an adjournment of the matter on the plea of filing a reply in the case.

The CBI had earlier in its fresh affidavit filed before the apex court, claimed that it has found cogent, credible and admissible evidence for prosecuting Mayawati in the case.

CBI’s response had come after Mayawati’s allegation that she was being discriminated against and that the probe agency should drop the proceedings against her in the wake of the Commissioner Income Tax (CIT appeal) order of April 5 and 19, 2010, giving her a clean chit in the case.

The CBI had, however, countered her contention saying that the CIT (appeal) order has been challenged before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT).

“Since the I-T department has appealed against the order, the disproportionate assets case cannot be closed just on the basis of these orders specially in the light of independent investigation by CBI in which cogent, credible and admissible evidence has been collected,” the CBI had stated.

The investigation agency had contested Mayawati’s plea that the probe agency was harassing her despite Commissioner Income Tax (CIT appeal) giving her a clean chit in the case.

The CBI had said it had evidence to prosecute Mayawati on the charge of amassing illegal wealth.

The agency had pointed out that her declared assets of Rs one crore in 2003 went up to Rs 50 crore in 2007 and said there was ‘ample evidence’ to show she had amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income.

Mayawati, however, had maintained that she received the money through party workers’ donations, which included meager sums of Rs. five to Rs.10, which they contributed on her birthday.

In May 2008, Mayawati had filed a petition seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings against her in the case alleging it was registered due to ‘political reasons’. (ANI)