Taj Corridor case: SC issues notice to Mayawati

Also issues notices to Centre, CBI and the UP govt on a petition challenging a judgement of Allahabad High Court

The Supreme Court today sought the response of former UP Chief Minister Mayawati on a plea seeking her prosecution in the Rs 17 crore Taj corridor scam case without the sanction of the Governor.

"We will examine the case," a bench comprising justices H L Dattu and Ranjan Gogoi said.

The court issued notice to the Centre, the CBI and the Uttar Pradesh government on a petition challenging a judgement of Allahabad High Court giving relief to the BSP supremo.

The bench also issued notice to Mayawati's former Cabinet colleague Naseemuddin Siddiqui and sought his response in the case.

It was hearing a batch of appeals against the November 5, 2012 judgement of the Allahabad High Court.

The petitioners have contended that the prosecution can be launched against them without sanction of the Governor.

Senior advocate K K Venugopal said this was for the fourth time such a contention has been raised.

The High Court in its judgement had dismissed a batch of petitions seeking prosecution of the BSP supremo in the Taj corridor case, holding they are devoid of merit.

The Lucknow bench of the High Court had upheld the June 2007 order of the special CBI court, which dropped the criminal proceedings against Mayawati and Siddiqui for want of Governor T V Rajeswar's sanction to prosecute them.

In 2002, Mayawati launched the corridor project to beautify areas near the Taj Mahal. A year later, the Supreme Court had directed the CBI conduct an enquiry into the alleged scam in the Taj corridor project.