Saturday, January 15 2005 20:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lucknow: Refuting BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) president Mayawati's allegations that the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) inquiry against her in the Taj corridor scam was initiated at its behest, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Jan 15, 2005) said the agency should produce all the evidence before the Supreme Court and seek its directions.

Former Speaker and UP BJP president Kesrinath Tripathi also said that reports that the CBI may not prosecute Mayawati for "lack of evidence" in the case smacked of an agreement between the BSP and Congress ahead of the coming Assembly elections.

"It will be in the best interest of both the CBI and Mayawati as also the Central Government that CBI produce all the evidence it had collected during the investigation in the case before the Supreme Court to seek its directive for the future course of action in the matter.

"The onus to prove that its role is above board lies on the CBI," Tripathi told reporters in Lucknow.

He said as the CBI had taken up the inquiry into the 175 crore Taj corridor scam on the directive of the apex court, it should produce all evidence before it to seek direction for the future course of action.

To a question, he refused to make any comment on the opinion of the Attorney General Milon Banerjee given to the CBI in the case, saying the CBI might not have produced the full facts and evidences before Banerjee.

Tripathi also denied BSP supremo's allegations that the CBI inquiry in the Taj corridor scam against her was initiated at the behest of the BJP and said had it been so the then BJP-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government would have ensured a speedy action in the matter.