INDIA SUMMARIZED

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court today started final hearing on PILs seeking direction for initiation of proceedings of criminal case against former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati and her cabinet colleague Naseemuddin Siddiqui in alleged Taj corridor scam. While on behalf of the petitioner senior counsel of the Supreme Court Kamini Jaiswal appeared before the bench of Justice Imtiyaz Murtaza and Justice Ashwini Kumar Singh, senior counsel Satish Chandra Mishra along with team of advocates represented Mayawati and other defendants. It may be recalled that the special CBI court had dropped the proceedings against Mayawati and Naseemuddin due to lack of prosecution sanction, which was not granted by the then governor. After this three PILs were filed in 2009 challenging the decision of the CBI court. Later three more PILs were filed in this connection. Hearing in all the six PILs started today which would continue tomorrow.