Apex court pulls up CBI in Mulayam's disproportionate assets case

New Delhi, Jan.6 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation agency's step with regard to the latter's decision to change its stand in the disproportionate assets case against former Uttar Pradesh CM Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The apex court, pointing out the flip-flops of the CBI, today said that it would not want the investigative agency to become an instrument of the government.

The court opted to put some searching questions to the investigating agency for its decision to withdraw the plea of filing the report of the probe before the apex court.

A Bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir was surprised to notice the CBI's decision and wanted to know the purpose when it stated: "What was wrong with the prayer in the application".

The Bench, also comprising Justice Cyriac Joseph, said "You asked for justiciable order. Why do you (CBI) want to withdraw it".

The investigating agency on Dec.6 in 2008 had moved the apex court to withdraw its earlier application of October 2007, in which, it had sought permission to place a status report before the court instead of submitting it to the Central Government, as per the March 1, 2007 order.

"We are inclined to modify our order," the Bench said, referring to its judgement in which CBI was asked to submit the report to the Central government.

The CBI's plea to withdraw the application was opposed by Vishwanath Chaturvedi, an advocate on whose petition the apex court on March 1, 2007 had directed the agency to conduct a preliminary enquiry.

The apex court had ordered a CBI enquiry on the alleged accumulation of disproportionate assets by Yadav, his sons -- Akhilesh, Prateek -- and daughter-in-law Dimple. (ANI)