New Delhi:
The Supreme Court has slammed the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) for moving slowly on a case against Mayawati that accuses her of corruption. "If the CBI and Mayawati are together, let the petition go," said the court on Monday.
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has been accused of assets that are disproportionate to her income. Her declared income rose from Rs 1 crore in 2003 to Rs 50 crore in 2007.
Mayawati insists that the money has been received through donations over the years from party workers for her birthday. Some of these donations, however, were as tiny as Rs 5.
In August, the CBI told the court that it had enough evidence to prosecute Mayawati . That was a complete turnaround from the CBI's stand earlier this year, when it suggested it accepted the findings of an investigation by Income Tax authorities, which cleared the Chief Minister.
Opposition parties have repeatedly said that the CBI was willing to let Mayawati off the hook in exchange for her support to the Central government during a crucial vote in Parliament earlier this year.