SC to hear petition against Mayawati in DA case on July 28

New Delhi, Jul 13 (UNI) The Supreme Court will hear on July 28 the petition filed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati challenging her prosecution in the disproportionate assets case.

The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo is facing allegations of acquiring assets beyond her known sources of income and through corrupt means by misusing her status as Chief Minister during her previous tenure.

Mayawati has challenged her prosecution on the grounds that the case has been registered against her by the CBI at the behest of its political masters and is aimed at maligning her reputation in the public.

The CBI, in its counter affidavit filed last week, has, however, opposed her petition on the grounds that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to prosecute her under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

According to the CBI, Mayawati opened 94 bank accounts and she along with her relatives and family members acquired 96 immovable properties in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

A large number of political leaders are also facing similar cases of corruption, who include former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family members, former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, present Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and others.

Mayawati has also raised questions about the timing of filing of the counter affidavit by the CBI when the UPA government is facing a trust vote on July 21-22 in Parliament following withdrawal of support by the Left parties on the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The Chief Minister withdrew support from the UPA government, while the Samajwadi Party is backing the Congress on the issue.

According to Mayawati, Congress is using CBI to armtwist her for opposing the Manmohan Singh government on the nuclear deal.

In the Taj Corridor scandal, Mayawati could not be proceeded against as Governor T V Rajeswar refused to grant sanction for her prosecution as at that time she was having cordial relations with the Congress.

The trial Judge in that case directed the CBI to obtain sanction from the Governor in spite of the fact that the apex court in the Parkash Singh Badal case has clearly ruled out that provision of sanction is not available to the public servants, both politicians and bureaucrats, who are facing allegations of the corruption.

A review petition, filed by SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, his son and SP MP Akhilesh Yadav and his daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav against the Supreme Court's order directing CBI to investigate the allegations of corruption, is already pending in the apex court.

Justice A R Lakshmanan, who is also presently Chairman of the Law Commission, had broken down in the open court when he got a faxed message at his residance casting aspersions on his personal integrity on the day when a PIL against Mulayam Singh Yadav was listed in his court. The Judge withdrew from the case.

UNI SC SW PM1828