CBI probe into Mulayam's assets headed for closure?

The Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged acquisition of disproportionate assets by Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh and his son Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh chief minister, may be headed for a closure with investigators said to have not been able to gather enough evidence.

Agency sources said a preliminary report has been completed which found that increase in the assets of Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh was primarily because of loans from relatives which were later claimed to be gifts.

They said besides the agency could not find any unexplained increase in the assets of the father-son duo. The sources added that during the period of 1993-2005, investments by Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh grew manifold which make it difficult to ascertain the exact quantum of alleged disproportionate assets.

CBI sources said inquiry has been completed by the investigators who have given their findings to the senior officials to take a view whether to close the case or convert it into a regular case and probe it further.

CBI Director Ranjit Sinha who was away from the Headquarters last week is back in the Capital and is expected to take a decision on the issue.

The sources said that an inquiry could not be said to have been completed unless a final view is taken by the top brass of the agency. In many cases, they said, decisions of the investigating teams have been overturned as senior officials had spotted angles which could be probed further.

However, for the record, the CBI said the matter was currently under probe as per the directions of the Court.

"Inquiry is underway and in its final stages. No final decision has been taken yet. As and when the probe is over, CBI will apprise the court," CBI said.

The Supreme Court had ordered a CBI inquiry on March 1, 2007 into the alleged accumulation of disproportionate assets by the Yadav family, on a public interest litigation by an advocate, Vishwanath Chaturvedi.

In December last year, the Supreme Court had directed the CBI to go ahead with the probe against Mulayam and his sons Akhilesh and Prateek but dropped the probe against Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav, saying that she was not holding any public office and was only a private person.