A former Uttar Pradesh government counsel has accused Mayawati of 'ulterior motives' and 'money making' in giving clearance to the Taj Heritage Corridor project.

Ajay Agarwal was the state government counsel in the Supreme Court in the controversial case.

"This is not a case of administrative lapse as it was being made out to be by certain people. It is a clear cut case of corruption involving no less authorities than former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati, her principal secretary P L Punia, former state environment minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, principal environment secretary R K Sharma as also Union Environment Secretary K C Misra," Agarwal told the press in Lucknow.

Agarwal alleged a nexus between Misra and Sharma. "There is sufficient circumstantial evidence about the unholy nexus between these two officers," he said. "It was at Misra's instance that Sharma was made chairman of Taj Trapezium Zone Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority, while UP Pollution Prevention Control Board secretary was made member-convenor."

"This itself was in violation of the norm of having Agra divisional commissioner as head of the authority and vice chairman of Agra Development Authority as its member-convenor," he added.

The former state government counsel alleged Sharma was 'taking care of the construction of Misra's palatial bungalow in Lucknow as a quid pro quo'.

He quoted Sharma as telling him 'this is the chief minister's personal project and you have to get this case cleared as soon as possible' when the Supreme Court raised its initial objections against the project.

He also quoted Sharma as having told him about bribing Mayawati with 12 diamond bangles, each worth Rs 250,000.

Aggarwal alleged that Mayawati ordered his removal from the position of the state's standing counsel in the Supreme Court after he had lodged a written complaint with Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary D S Bagga about Mayawati's corruption.

Agarwal had already said all this in his deposition before the Central Bureau of Investigation.