New Delhi: In a major breather for Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, the Supreme Court on Friday quashed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against her in a corruption case stemming from the Taj Corridor case and related to assets disproportionate to her income.
Quashing the first information report (FIR), the apex court bench headed by Justice P. Sathasivam described the filing of another FIR against Mayawati in the disproportionate assets case as illegal and without jurisdiction.
Slamming the CBI, the court said that in the registration of another FIR, the investigating agency exceeded its jurisdiction and its action was illegal.
The court said the second FIR against the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister was unwarranted and was filed due to the lack of understanding of the orders of the Supreme Court.
Pronouncing the judgment, Justice Sathasivam said, “Supreme Court being the custodian of the fundamental rights could not have ordered a roving inquiry against the petitioner (Mayawati).”
“Justice after nine years”: Welcoming the Supreme Court decision to quash an old case of illegal wealth against her, Mayawati said that she has got justice after nine years.
“I welcome the Supreme Court decision and I would like to pay my thanks to honourable Supreme Court for showing faith in us and giving the right decision… It was justice after nine years,” Mayawati told reporters here.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also thanked her party members that stood by her like a “hard rock” and supported her.
“I wholeheartedly thank all my party members. My party members stood like a hard rock beside me and never left me in any of the circumstances and backed me during this case even after facing lots of ups and downs since 9-10 years,” she said. (IANS)
