Can't stop probe into Maya assets case, says CBI

The CBI has told the Supreme Court that it cannot cease to probe the disproportionate assets case against the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati despite the three income-tax department’s orders issued recently giving immunity to her from prosecution. HT reports.

The CBI has told the Supreme Court that it cannot cease to probe the disproportionate assets case against the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati despite the three income-tax department’s orders issued recently giving immunity to her from prosecution.

In response to Mayawati's additional affidavit before the apex court, CBI stated the scope of criminal proceedings was different from civil proceedings including immunity granted to the CM by the income-tax authorities.

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The UP CM has approached the SC through a writ petition seeking quashing of the CBI case. She had earlier charged the CBI with acting in a hostile manner by adopting a different yardstick in her case than that in cases against Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad.

“The CBI can’t discriminate between two individuals merely on the basis of its whims or choice," she had said seeking the quashing of the corruption case. She had said after being absolved of misappropriating R17 crore disbursed for the Taj Corridor project and being cleared by the I-T authorities, the CBI was wrong in proceeding against her in the DA case.

Filing an additional affidavit before the SC, the BSP supremo citing the three income-tax orders — May 25, May 30 and May 31 — said she had got immunity from prosecution.

Stating it wasn't a party before the income-tax authority, the CBI said the three orders would be placed before the trial court along with the agency’s final report in the case.

The agency said the issues raised by Mayawati involved detailed investigation and “the proceedings cannot be circumvented”.