Rs 104 cr deposit | Centre misusing machinery to malign BSP, all deposits as per norms: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday hit out at Modi government after the Enforcement Directorate detected cash deposits totalling over Rs. 104 crore in an account belonging to Mayawati-led party.

Addressing the media, Mayawati alleged that the BJP was misusing the state machinery to malign the name of BSP party.

"We have deposited the money collected as party funds honestly in the bank account. We have account of every rupee deposited in bank," she said.

She also alleged that BJP is tarnishing image of BSP ahead of UP Assembly elections.

Accusing the BJP of twisting facts while presenting routine deposits of her party and that of her brother, who is involved in his own business, Mayawati said there was, however, no talk about deposits of BJP and other parties made post-demonetization.

"BJP and other parties have also deposited their money in banks. Nobody is talking about that," she said, adding it only went on to prove the 'anti-Dalit and casteist mentality' of BJP.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she demanded that he should make public the deposits made by BJP during the 10 months prior to November 8 decision of banning Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes.

The BSP chief said she has information that there could be a similar move against important people of her party to make them ineffective and warned that such actions reflecting political vendetta will not be of any help.

The ED on Monday detected cash deposits totaling over Rs.104 crore in an account belonging to the BSP and Rs 1.43 crore in an account belonging to party Supremo Mayawati's brother Anand in a branch of United Bank of India.

Agency officials said the sleuths called for the records of the deposits made in the BSP account and found that while Rs 102 crore was deposited in Rs 1,000 notes, the rest Rs 3 crore was deposited in the old Rs 500 notes.

The ED has also asked the bank to provide to it CCTV footage and KYC documents used to open the accounts, they said. With regard to Anands's accounts, it is understood, that the agency will soon issue notices to him and also intimate the I-T sleuths for investigation under anti-tax evasion laws.

(With agency inputs)