Mayawati showed bogus gifts, Centre tells HC

Mayawati is yet to file her response as her counsel, Harish Salve, was unable to appear in the case. The court has posted the case for hearing on October 31. Before a Bench led by Justice Badar Durrez Ahamed, the Centre submitted that inquiries into the financial capabilities of her donors revealed that those persons or families had an annual income of 8220;Rs 2 or 3 lakh8221; and could hardly afford the items listed as gifts.

8220;Gifts shown are bogus. We have doubts about the genuineness of the gifts valued at over Rs 13 crore and the creditworthiness of their donors,8221; government counsel R D Jolly submitted. 8220;In one case, the gift is worth over Rs 40 lakh, but the family has an annual income of only Rs 3 lakh.8221;

The Tribunal had earlier accepted the CM8217;s plea that immovable property worth Rs 62.72 lakh and cash payments of Rs 2 lakh were gifts given by her supporters. The government wants the cash and property to be taken as part of her annual income tax.