SC to hear Mulayam's petition in assets case tomorrow

New Delhi, May 13 (UNI) The Supreme Court will hear tomorrow the petition filed by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family members seeking review of March 1 apex court order directing the CBI to conduct preliminary inquiry in the disproportionate assets allegations.

The apex court, in its order, had CBI to find out whether a prima facie case of corruption was made out against Samajwadi Party supremo or not.

A bench comprising Justices C K Thakker and Altamas Kabir will resume the hearing tomorrow on the question whether the review petition should be admitted for hearing or not as the notices have not been issued on the petition till now.

The prayer for interim stay against the investigation are over and has become infructous since the assembly elections are already over and Mayawati has taken over as the new Chief Minister.

The original petitioner Vishwanath Chaturvedi, a Congress activist from the state and an advocate, in his petition alleged that Mulayam Singh Yadav, his MP son Abhilesh Kumar Singh, his daughter- in-law Dimple Yadav, and his another son Prateek Yadav have acquired assets worth over Rs 100 crore through corrupt means by misusing his official status as UP Chief Minister and are therefore liable to be prosecuted for offences under the prevention of corruption act(PCA).

Justice A R Lakshmanan who has since retired, had broken down in the open court after he received an anonymous letter through fax at his official residence questioning his personal integrity. The judge later withdrew from the case.

According to Mr Yadav the allegations are ''politically motivated and are totally baseless. ''The Centre has however been supporting the petition who had demanded a CBI inquiry into the allegations.

Unusually the review petitions are being heard in the open court, as they are usually disposed off by circulation among judges in their chambers.

Mr Yadav has also questioned the direction issued by the apex court to CBI to place the report before the Centre which will decide the future course of action in the matter, while the usual procedure is that the investigating agency submits its report to the competent court and it is for the court to decide whether to take cognisance.

UNI