Ex-CJI kin quits Youth Cong

The castle built by the kith and kin of National Human Rights Commission chairman and former chief justice of India KG Balakrishnan is coming apart. Ramesh Babu reports. Petition to get ex-CJI's resignation

The castle built by the kith and kin of National Human Rights Commission chairman and former chief justice of India KG Balakrishnan is coming apart.

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PV Sreenijan, justice KG Balakrishnan's son-in-law, resigned from the primary membership of the Youth Congress on Wednesday following revelations about his disproportionate assets and the Kerala government probe into his assets. He was not available for comment.

"We sought an explanation from him. After this, he agreed to quit on his own," state Youth Congress president PC Vishnunath said, adding the party would continue its inquiry against him.

Indian Youth Congress state vice-president M Liju has sought a CBI inquiry into the wealth of all the relatives of justice Balakrishnan.

A Congress candidate in the 2006 assembly elections, Sreenijan's wealth grew at least 130 times in the last four years.

Former CPI(M) MP Sebastian Paul, who is also a leading lawyer, said: "It is a known fact that (KG) Bhaskaran (justice Balakrishnan's brother) and Sreenijan decided all important judicial appointments in Kochi. They also played a mediator's role in key cases. Fearing contempt everyone remained quiet."

HT has access to the records of the wealth of Sreenijan, justice Balakrishnan's second son-in-law MJ Benny, and Bhaskaran. The state has asked Bhaskaran to quit the special pleader's post in the Kerala high court following the expose.

After his three relatives - two sons-in-law and brother - justice Balakrishnan's nephew Abilash Chandran (39) has come under a cloud.

Chandran, a small-time employee with the state-owned Kerala Financial Corporation five years ago, is now director of at least three firms in Dubai and owner of a state-of-the-art digital animation studio in the state's IT destination, Technopark, in Thiruvananthapuram.

"Abhilash Chandran has been the director of these companies - Vyga Animation Systems Private Limited, Vyga Online Portals Private Limited, Meg Systems and Technologies Private Limited, Lemon Real Power Private Limited and Goldstone Power Private Limited - since May 10, 2010," the website of one of his companies (Goldstone Technologies) says.

There are also reports that Abhilash, along with justice Balakrishnan's second daughter KB Rani and another relative Lakshmi M Subramaniyam, bought 10.5 acres in Kottayam district in 2007.

Petition to get ex-CJI's resignation