Justice after nine years, says Mayawati

Lucknow, July 6 (IANS) Welcoming the Supreme Court decision to quash an old case of illegal wealth against her, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said that she has got justice after nine years.

"I welcome the Supreme Court decision and I would like to pay my thanks to honourable Supreme Court for showing faith in us and giving the right decision... It was justice after nine years," Mayawati told reporters here.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati also thanked her party members that stood by her like a "hard rock" and supported her.

"I wholeheartedly thank all my party members. My party members stood like a hard rock beside me and never left me in any of the circumstances and backed me during this case even after facing lots of ups and downs since 9-10 years," she said.

The Supreme Court Friday quashed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against Mayawati in a corruption case stemming from the Taj Corridor case and related to amassing assets disproportionate to her income.

Quashing the first information report (FIR), a bench headed by Justice P. Sathasivam described the filing of another FIR against Mayawati in the disproportionate assets case as illegal and without jurisdiction.

Pronouncing the judgment, Justice Sathasivam said: "Supreme Court being the custodian of the fundamental rights could not have ordered a roving inquiry against the petitioner (Mayawati)."