Mayawati's close aide moves HC against Lokayukta order

Siddiqui, who is considered a close confidant of Mayawati, along with his wife Husna Siddiqui, filed a petition seeking quashing of the Lokayukta order dated March 15, 2012, whereby the disproportionate assets case against him had been sent for "reconsideration" to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Siddiqui has challenged the Lokayukta order claiming that once the then Chief Minister Mayawati had "considered the issue and chosen to drop the proceedings", the ombudsman had no power to send the matter for reconsideration to the new CM.

The former minister has also prayed for directions restraining electronic and print media from publishing the contents of the material collected by the Lokayukta or opinions expressed by the ombudsman in the matter.

Significantly, Mayawati had in February this year turned down the Lokayukta's recommendation for a probe by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate against Siddiqui stating that allegations against him had "to do with him as a person and not as a minister and hence he could not prosecuted against Section 12 (4) of the UP Lokayukta Act that covers corruption charges against a civil servant".

The petition is likely to come up for hearing on Monday, April 30. PTI CORR NAC