Mulayam has been accused of alloting plots of land in Noida to 99 people including judges, politicians, bureaucrats, and some others close to him.
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was on Sunday accused by the Congress party of misusing discretionary powers in alloting plots of land in Noida to 99 people including judges, politicians, bureaucrats, mediapersons and some others close to him.
Senior Congress leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal told a press conference here that the Chief Minister had made the "allotments to most favoured persons claiming discretionary powers of allotments". The allotments were made in 2005, he said.
The Allahabad High Court had later quashed the allotments and ordered a CBI probe into them. Subsequently, the Supreme Court stayed the probe order of the High Court and Sibal said he would not comment on the apex court decision.
"But", Sibal said, "we do humbly submit that the offences committed are cognizable and the law must be allowed to take its course."
"We also believe that if the corruption in high places is to be dealt with, then criminal prosecutions must be launched in accordance with law," he added.
The list released by Sibal included the names of Sheeba Sabharwal, daughter of former Chief Justice of India Y K Sabharwal; Aaorhi Bhalla, son of Jagdish Bhalla, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, Poonam Srivastava, a relative of Allahabad High Court judge Subodh Kumar Srivastav and Allahabad High Court judge Uday Krishna Dhaon. Bhalla has been recommended for appointment as Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court but President A P J Abdul Kalam has raised queries.
The list also included Usha Dipti Vilas, wife of D Dipti Vilas,IAS, and Secretary to Chief Minister and Tanu Patni, wife of Piyush Mordia, an IPS officer who was suspended when the Nithari killings came to light, and seven people connected with media.
Sibal, a prominent lawyer, said the allotments were made with no public purpose in mind and prima facie provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988 stand attracted.
"We believe that such allotments were handpicked with no public purpose in mind and that prima facie the provisions of section 13(1) (d)(ii) and (iii) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 stand attracted," he added.
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