The CBI is all set to chargesheet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in the disproportionate assets case under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on Thursday, the agency asserted that there was sufficient evidence to proceed against the BSP supremo for alleged acquisition of assets disproportionate to her known sources of income. However, the agency did not indicate any timeframe for filing of the chargesheet.
The move comes at a time when the Congress and Mayawati’s arch rival, Mulayam Singh Yadav, have arrived at an understanding on the India-US nuclear deal, the affidavit is bound to raise questions about the use of the CBI by the government of the day to fix its political rivals.
The CBI asserted it was an autonomous body solely guided by the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code that required it to file the chargesheet or closure report only before the court concerned.
The affidavit has been filed in response to Mayawati’s latest petition in the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of all proceedings against her in the disproportionate assets case. The BSP leader had claimed that since the governor refused permission to prosecute her in the Taj Corridor case, the agency could not have proceeded against her in the assets case, which was an offshoot of the main Taj Corridor case. She had alleged that the probe was aimed at her “character assassination”.