PIL seeks Balakrishnan's removal as NHRC chief
Submitted by deepak on Wed, 01/05/2011 - 13:13
Pressure is building up on former chief justice of India KG Balakrishnan, who is facing allegations that his relatives amassed wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed against Balakrishnan seeking a judicial inquiry and his removal as the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission over his family's alleged disproportionate assets and land deals.
Meanwhile, Balakrishnan's son-in-law PV Srinijan resigned from the Kerala unit of Youth Congress on Wednesday following allegations into against him for amassing wealth worth crores of rupees which are disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The Youth Congress, which had sought an explanation from Srinijan on Tuesday, has accepted his resignation.
The PIL, filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday by a Delhi-based advocate Manohar Lal Sharma, claimed that when Balakrishnan was the chief justice of India his daughter Sony and son-in-law PV Srinijan, who is also a member of the Youth Congress, acquired assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
"It is most humbly prayed that this court issue orders to the union of India to initiate judicial inquiry against the former chief justice of India KG Balakrishnan after removing him from the post of the NHRC chairman," pleaded Sharma.
Sharma demanded judicial probe into alleged amassing of wealth by Srinijin quoting media reports that he had only declared assets worth only Rs 25,000 in 2006 while contesting an Assembly election from Njarackal in Kerala.
But later on, during the Balakrishnan's tenure as the CJI, Srinijin went on to acquire property worth several crores of rupees, said Sharma.
In support of his demand, Sharma also quoted former Supreme Court judge, Justice VR Krishna Iyer's statement to media, seeking a judicial probe into the alleged amassing of wealth by Srinijan.
New reports have also emerged of dubious land deals being brokered by Balakrishnan's another son-in-law NJ Benny, who is married to the former CJI's second daughter Rani, and his younger brother KG Bhaskaran, who is a Special Government Pleader at the Kerala High Court.
Bhaskaran has gone of leave after he was asked his the Advocate General of Kerala to resign from the post.
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