Mayawati has to pay back money spent on elephant statues, says CJI Ranjan Gogoi-led SC bench

Supreme Court on Friday said that prima facie BSP leer Mayawati has to pay back all public money spent on her statue and elephants while hearing a plea seeking direction to restrain her from spending public money on building statues. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that SC would hear plea questioning expenditure on elephant status on April 2.

"This is our tentative view. Mayawati should reimburse public exchequer all amounts spent for se elephants. Supreme Court fixes April 2 for  final hearing of  PIL questioning  money spent on elephant statues in ida," said Supreme Court bench comprising justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjeev Khanna led by CJI.

On January 31, ED raided 6 places in connection with misuse of money for construction of idols created between 2007 and 2011 in Uttar Presh.  raids were conducted in connection with Mayawati statue case.

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On basis of case registered by UP State vigilance department under section 120 B of IPC  r/w 409 IPC and Section 13 (1) (d)  re with section 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, ED h registered a case under Prevention of Money Laundering act as it resulted in a loss of Rs 111,44,35,066 to Government exchequer and unlawful gain to public servants and private individuals.

A large number of statues depicting BSP supremo Mayawati, her mentor Kanshi Ram, and party's elephant symbol, h come under scanner. In ida, Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden were constructed on 33 acres of land. Estimates suggest that each statue of Kanshi Ram and Mayawati cost Rs 6.65 crores. Each elephant statue costs more than Rs 70 lakh. 

Earlier, ecomic offences wing of state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) attempted to figure out who benefited from alleged swindle. 130 statues of huge elephants, were placed in parks in ida and Luckw during Mayawati's tenure. Her party's symbol is elephant.

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(With ncy inputs)