HC reserves order in Taj corridor case

The Allahabad High Court reserved its order on three PILs, challenging dropping of proceedings against Chief Minister Mayawati and her cabinet colleague Naseemuddin Siddiqui in the Taj Corridor case.

A division bench comprising Justice Abdul Mateen and Justice Y K Sangal of the Lucknow bench of the high court reserved its order after hearing on the point as to which division bench was competent to hear these PILs.

The PILs had challenged the order of a special Central Bureau of Investigation court by which proceedings in Taj coridor case were dropped against Mayawati and Naseemuddin Siddiqui in the absence of prosecution sanction, which was not granted by the then Uttar Pradesh Governor.

The three PILs were filed by three different persons, who had challenged the CBI court's order dated June 5 2007, by which the proceedings of the case were dropped against Mayawati and Siddiqui.

The Taj Corridor case, in which Mayawati faces money embezzlement charges, pertains to a mega project implemented during her previous tenure as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister for upgrading tourist facilities near the Moghul monument.