National News- CBI closes preliminary enquiry against former CM and his family members for possession of alleged disproportionate assets

New Delhi/Jalandhar, September 20, 2013: The Central Bureau of Investigation has closed the preliminary inquiry against the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and his family members for possession of alleged Disproportionate Assets.

A Preliminary Inquiry was registered by CBI on March 5, 2007 against the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, his son, daughter-in-law and others in pursuant to the order dated March 1, 2007 of Supreme Court of India in a Writ Petition (Civil) No. 633/05 filed in November, 2005. The suspects of the PE filed Review Petitions against the said orders of the Supreme Court.

Since the suspects did not join the enquiry at the initial stage, the PE was concluded in 2007 itself, without taking into account the defence of the suspects, computing combined DA of the four suspects including daughter-in-law to the tune of Rs. 2,63,06,498 (approx). However, the final outcome of the PE remained pending due to litigations and pendency of said Review Petitions.

The Supreme Court decided the Review Petitions and other Misc. Petitions vide its order dated 13.12.2012. The Apex Court ordered that the income, assets and expenditure pertaining to daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister should be excluded from those of her other family members. This order necessitated re-assessment of the evidence collected during the inquiry, and have a fresh look upon the same, in accordance with the orders of Honorable Supreme Court.

During the further inquiry, a large number of persons, including the suspects, have been examined and numerous documents were collected. Careful examination of documents, statements of witnesses and the version of the suspects during the course of further inquiry, has not brought out sufficient evidence supporting the allegation of possession of any disproportionate assets, jointly or individually against the former Chief Minister of UP and his family members.

During the further inquiry, conducted from December, 2012 inwards in the light of the Supreme Court orders, each and every item brought out in the earlier findings of CBI has been thoroughly re-examined and re-assessed. Care has also been taken to probe every single item finding mention in the writ petition. After exploring each possible avenue, CBI has closed the PE against the former CM and his family members, on account of grossly insufficient evidence.