Probe ordered into firms of Mayawati, her brother

The BJP Wednesday said the central government has ordered a probe into 115 "bogus" companies of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati, her brother Anand and other family members.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary Kirit Somaiyya told media persons here that he had complained in December 2011 about Mayawati and Anand having routed ill-gotten money through 300 bogus companies floated overnight during her five-year term between 2007-2012.

Out of the 300 companies, a probe has been ordered into 115.

Somaiyya said the Ministry of Company Affairs has ordered the registrar of companies to "take up the matter with regard to 115 companies by invoking the provisions of Section 234 of the Companies Act 1956".

Deputy Director (Investigation) RK Bakshi had informed Somaiyya that 10 companies were non-existent.

The companies include Akik Educationa Center (Pvt.) Ltd., Archit Fincap Ltd., Archit Finescrip Ltd., Reena Oil Industry, and DLA Realtors, among others.

Somaiyya said this was a "victory of sorts" and added that though the inquiry came after a 15-month-long battle, he was happy that "some action has been taken".

Taking on the ruling Samajwadi party (SP) in the state, Somaiyya questioned SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav about why the probe against Mayawati in the sugar mill sale and other land scams had been suddenly stopped.

Alleging that money had changed hands between the two rivals, the BJP leader said if action was not initiated against Mayawati and her brother and efforts not undertaken to bring the "looted" money back to the state coffers within three months, the BJP would knock the doors of the courts.

Between October 2011 and December 2011, Somaiyya had brought to light bogus companies to which funds worth thousands of crores of rupees were transferred during Mayawati's regime.

Somaiyya had claimed that Anand and his wife Vichitralekha were members of the boards of directors of the companies. The BJP had also petitioned the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the matter.