CD exposing Mayawati's 'corruption' released

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on Sunday released a CD containing telephonic conversations of what he claimed to be Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders asking party workers to collect money for Chief Minister Mayawati.

"The CD also has details of how Rs 20 lakh was collected by senior BSP leaders Tilak Chand Ahirwal and C P Singh and given to Delhi BSP leader Suresh Chand," Amar Singh told reporters.

He alleged that the money was then distributed among 39 party workers and local leaders, like corporators of Delhi, and they were directed to make bank drafts in the name of BSP chief Mayawati to be sent to her, he added.

He said all the drafts were issued within a span of 10 days in February 2007 and this was just one instance of how the Uttar Pradesh chief minister "converts her black money into white money".

"The CD has conversations of senior BSP leaders directing party cadres to send money to Mayawati," Singh said.

He said the CD had details of the bank drafts, including its number, the person who got it made and the name of the bank, among other things.

"We demand that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should scan the bank accounts of Mayawati and other BSP leaders as the money collected in the name of donations for the party is going into Mayawati's account," Singh said.

"We will also approach the Election Commission and demand that the BSP's recognition be withdrawn," he added.

There was no immediate comment from the BSP on the charges.