SC reserves order on Mayawati's plea in DA case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati's plea challenging a Central Bureau of Investigation probe against her in an alleged disproportionate assets case.

A bench headed by P Sathasivam reserved its order after a two-hour-long hearing during which the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister attacked the CBI for "fixing" the disproportionate assets case against her, a charge refuted by the agency.

Mayawati had filed a petition in May 2008 seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings against her in the DA case lodged by the CBI over eight years ago, alleging it was an act of political vendetta.

Mayawati's counsel had said the bench should direct the CBI to consider the aspect of order passed by the Income Tax Tribunal holding that her income was genuine. The order had also been upheld by the Delhi high court, he had pointed out.

The CBI, during earlier hearings, had said there was "ample evidence" to show that she had amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income.

She had claimed she had received the money through donations from party workers.

Questioning Mayawati's assets, the CBI had said that her declared assets of Rs one crore in 2003 had gone up to Rs 50 crore in 2007.

The CBI, in its last affidavit filed on September 13, 2011, had alleged there was a "criminal nexus" between Mayawati and her relatives and the disproportionate assets case against her cannot be closed on the basis of conclusions arrived at by the income tax department.

The agency had rejected Mayawati's stand that the DA case should come to an end after the income tax authorities had accepted her income tax assessments.