HC to hear PILs in Taj corridor case on Dec 17

The Allahabad high court on Thursday fixed December 17 as the next date for hearing three public interest litigations challenging dropping of proceedings against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and her cabinet colleague Naseemuddin Siddiqui in the Taj corridor case.

Relenting to requests of the counsels of both the parties, the Lucknow bench of the high court, which had earlier in the day fixed December 7 as the next date of hearing in the case later posted the matter for December 17.

The court also sought a clarification from the Registrar General of the Allahabad high court as to which of its benches was competent enough to hear the matter.

A division bench of the high court comprising Justice Abdul Mateen and Justice Y K Sangal passed the order on these PILs challenging the special CBI court order dated June 5, 2007 by which proceedings against Mayawati and her ministerial colleague were dropped in the Taj corridor case in the absence of prosecution sanction by the then governor of Uttar Pradesh.

On June 3, 2007, the then governor of the state had refused to grant sanction to the CBI to prosecute the duo in the case.

The three PILs were filed against the CBI court's order in 2009 praying that proceedings should be resumed against the two in the case.

On behalf of the chief minister, senior counsel Satish Chandra Misra vehemently argued that the PILs are liable to be dismissed with cost. 

The Taj corridor case, in which Mayawati faces money embezzlement charges, pertains to a project implemented during her previous tenure as Uttar Pradesh CM for upgrading tourist facilities near the Moghul monument.