The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation on a petition seeking the status of the investigation into a disproportionate assets case against Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and his sons, Akhilesh and Prateek Yadav from 2007, Live Law reported.
The plea had sought direction to the investigating agency to place the status report before the court or jurisdictional magistrate, ANI reported. The top court asked the agency to file the status report within two weeks.
“We want to know what has happened to this case?” the Supreme Court asked the CBI, according to NDTV. “There is a status report of 2007. What has happened? We would like to know whether the case is registered?”
Political activist Vishwanath Chaturvedi had filed a petition in the top court in 2005 seeking a direction to the CBI to take appropriate action to prosecute Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, his wife Dimple Yadav and Prateek Yadav under the Prevention of Corruption Act for assets disproportionate to their known source of their income, PTI reported.
In 2007, the Supreme Court ordered the CBI to enquire into the allegations. Five years later, the court dismissed the review pleas of Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son against its 2007 verdict and asked the agency to go ahead with the investigation.
The court, however, directed the CBI to drop the inquiry against Dimple Yadav. It also modified its 2007 order and ordered the CBI to file the status report before the court and not to the government.
In his fresh plea, Chaturvedi said: “Despite the yawning gap between the complaint made/court’s directions and the pendency of filing of a regular case in this matter, an unusually long period has already escaped without any action being taken on the matter for 11 long years.”
The petitioner alleged that a first information report has not been registered against the Yadavs, raising ‘questions of credibility and integrity of our investigating agencies”. The new plea claimed that the CBI’s earlier status report indicated that Dimple Yadav also possessed disproportionate assets.
Earlier on Monday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath criticised the Yadavs and said that the court will penalise them. “The evil deeds of the corrupt are coming to light and they have looted people,” Adityanath tweeted. “The honourable court will give due punishment to these ‘khandani bhrastachari” [ancesteral corrupt] for their deeds.”
The chief minister shared a news report about the case. “Be cautious of them. In order to avoid going to jail they will divide you on basis of caste and religion. All thieves [a reference to the Opposition’s alliance] are united in fear of chowkidar [watchman – a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi] but how long will they be able to save themselves.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!