The Central Vigilance Commission on Monday told the Supreme Court that the evidence collected by the Central Bureau of Investigation was good enough to launch prosecution against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in the multi-crore Taj Heritage corridor scam case.
The opinion of the CVC is diametrically opposite to that of the attorney general and director of the CBI, both of whom had favoured the closure of the case against her.
The CVC has also recommended launching of prosecution against Environment Secretary R K Sharma in the case.
The CVC, however, recommended closure of the case against former UP Chief Secretary D S Bagga, Mayawati's former Secreatary P L Punia and top bureaucrats -- V K Gupta, K C Mishra, S C Vali and A K Bose.
Also read: The Taj Corridor scam
The CVC also recommended prosecution of 3 other persons namely Rajendra Prasad, Kamal Radhu and M Sharma.
However, the commission concurred with the CBI in closing the cases against former chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh D S Bagga, Mayawati's former personal secretary P L Punia, former Union Environment Secretary K C Mishra, former State Environment Secretary V K Gupta and S C Vali, managing director of the public sector undertaking given the construction contract for the Heritage corridor.
The opinion of the attorney general not to prosecute Mayawati had come as a surprise as the investigating officer of the case, the superintendent of police, the deputy legal advisor, the deputy inspector general, the joint director, additional legal advisor and additional director of the CBI - had all opined that a case was made out for her prosecution.
Only the department of prosecution, the senior public prosecutor and director, CBI had opined that no action should be taken and the case be closed against the former chief minister.
The court had ordered registration of the First Investigation Report against Mayawati and others when an application filed by amicus curiae Krishan Mahajan and a petition filed by Ajay Agrawal alleged that crores of rupees were being siphoned out of the Rs 175 crore project, which was yet to receive environmental clearance.
After the CBI completed its investigation, it had sought an opinion of the AG as to whether it should prosecute Mayawati on the basis of evidence gathered by it.
