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A Bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar told the CBI counsel that if it was not keen on pursuing the case, then the “petition must go”.
While adjourning the mater for another 6 weeks, the Bench said: “What is this? Every time, you seek time or an adjournment. Sometimes, you seek time for filing reply, then you say that you want to file a counter-affidavit, then you say that you want to file an affidavit.”
“If both of you are together then let this petition go,” the Bench said when the CBI counsel sought an adjournment of the matter on the plea of filing a reply in the case.
The CBI counsel said there had not been any change in its stand to what the apex court was informed on January 12 that there was enough evidence to prosecute Mayawati in the case.
Mayawati is facing prosecution for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.
The CBI said her declared assets of Rs 1 crore in 2003 went up to Rs 50 crore in 2007 and there was ample evidence to show that she had amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income.
Donations
During the probe, Mayawati claimed that she had received the money through donations from party workers which included meagre sums of Rs 5 and Rs 10 which they contributed on her birthday.
The chief minister filed a petition in May 2008 seeking quashing of criminal proceedings against her in the case alleging that it was registered due to “political reasons”.
The CBI in July 2008 had responded to the apex court notice stating that there was sufficient evidence to show that Mayawati amassed wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income. The SC had directed the CBI to probe the assets of Mayawati after the filing of a PIL in the Taj corridor project.