CBI probe ordered against most powerful UP Minister, wife for disproportionate assets

RATAN MANI LAL Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh Lok Ayukta on Wednesday unleashed a major shockwave in the state by recommending a CBI inquiry against senior Minister and Mayawatis closest confidant, Naseemuddin Siddiqui and his wife Husna, an MLC, to determine whether the minister has collected assets that cannot be accounted for.

Siddiqui allegedly set up an educational society in Barabanki, adjoining Lucknow, for which he was granted land at a huge discount.

Siddiqui also allegedly appointed dummy members to the educational society and raised Rs 3 crore in funds. Many of these transactions have been found by the Lokayukta to be questionable.

Also in the Income Tax returns filed by Siddiqui, his income is shown at a little over Rs 2 crore in the last four years. But the family has acquired several acres of land worth several times this amount in Barabanki and Fatehpur districts.

The Lok Ayukta, Justice N K Mehrotra has written to Ms Mayawati urging her to initiate a probe by the CBI and also the Enforcement Directorate ( ED).

The move, coming a day before the fifth phase of polling in the on- going election to the state Assembly, comes as a major setback to Mayawati, who has sacked over a dozen ministers after they were indicted by the Lok Ayukta. Siddiquis stronghold is Banda in Bundelkhand where voting will be held on Thursday. Siddiqui, the Muslim face of the party, has over 20 departments under him which include Public Works department, Health and Family Welfare, Housing, Irrigation, Agriculture and Mining among others.

Justice Mehrotra said the inquiry into assets of Siddiquis has revealed a clearcut case of money- laundering which could only be probed by a crime investigating agency. The complaint against Siddiquis was lodged by Jagdish Narain Shukla, who had accused the Minister and his wife of owning benami properties.

Justice Mehrotra said that inquiry revealed that QF Educational Society launched by Husna Siddiqui only existed on papers and even its members were unaware of its whereabouts.

The societys balancesheet showed receipts of more than Rs 3.62 crore as capital and other donations while Income Tax CBI probe ordered against most powerful UP Minister, wife for disproportionate assets investigation accounted for only Rs 1.82 crore. Further, he said the Society had purchased bigha land in Nidaura village in Barabanki for Rs 46 lakh while official estimation showed it to be worth more than Rs 16.39 crore.