(Rpt, adding dropped matter in third para)

New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) The CBI today submitted its reports on the findings into the Rs 175 crore Taj Heritage Corridor case, involving former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, before the designated court in Lucknow.

The court gave the CBI time till May 15 to proceed with the sanction for prosecution of Ms Mayawati under Section 173 (2) of the CrPC on the basis of the documents and material put before it.

The two reports--one on its own findings and the other of the Superintendent of Police who investigated the case--were placed before Special Magistrate Rekha Dixit for 'appropriate action' in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court.

However, the 'material' submitted by the CBI did not include reports of then Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Attorney General -- both favouring closure of the case against Mayawati.

The move, which could put a spoke in the wheel of Mayawati's ambition to ascend the CM's chair with State Assembly elections round the corner, comes after the central agency's closure report against the BSP supremo was quashed by a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court.

In November last year, the CBI drew flak from the Supreme Court for taking legal opinion in the case despite the entire investigating team having favoured Mayawati's prosecution.

In its order the court had said, ''In the present case there was no difference of opinion on investigation by the investigating team, therefore there was no question of referring the matter to the Attorney General for his opinion.'' The Taj Corridor case reached the SC after a PIL was filed before it challenging the decision of the CBI to 'not prosecute' Ms Mayawati on the basis of the report of Attorney General despite contrary reports by the investigating officer.

UNI