Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati may have become the highest income tax paying politician in the country by shelling out around Rs 15 crore in advance tax in April-December, 2007.

Known to have come from a very modest background, she now features among the top 25 personal income tax payers in the country along with Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, official sources said.

Finance ministry sources said the income tax department cannot question the source of her income -- only the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is authorised to do that and that too, because she has been a public servant.

However, the income tax department is more than willing to collect tax from the Bahujan Samaj Party leader.

According to official sources, she has paid Rs 14.7 crore tax in two advance tax instalments in September and December, 2007. Income tax officials expect Mayawati to pay at least Rs 5 crore in tax in the third instalment due March. Assuming her tax pay-out at Rs 20 crore, her income is likely to be upwards of Rs 60 crore in 2007-08.

Khan paid Rs 27 crore in advance tax in the current fiscal. Mayawati paid Rs 12.5 crore income tax on other income (mostly gifts) in 2006-07. In 2005-06, she had declared gifts worth Rs 2.5 crore.

Mayawati got a reprieve a few days back when the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal adjudged in her favour in a tax dispute case against the income tax department. The case related to assessment year 2003-04.

She had shown some cash and other assets as gifts from party men "given to her out of love and affection", an argument the department rejected.