SC asks AG on status of complaint against Ex-CJI

The Supreme Court on Friday sought to know the status of a complaint made to the Vice-President against former CJI and NHRC chief KG Balakrishnan seeking a CBI probe into the assets acquired by his family while he was holding the top-most judicial post.

The Supreme Court on Friday sought to know the status of a complaint made to the Vice-President against former CJI and NHRC chief KG Balakrishnan seeking a CBI probe into the assets acquired by his family while he was holding the top-most judicial post.

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A bench headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia asked attorney general GE Vahanvati to apprise it about the status of the complaint that was sent to the Vice-President in May last year. The complaint was written by M Furqan.

The bench called for Vahanvati, who was sitting in the court for another matter, while it took up a PIL that sought a judicial probe into the allegations against Balakrishnan and a direction to restrain him from functioning as the NHRC chief.

“What is the status of the complaint that was forwarded to the ministry of home affairs?,” the bench asked Vahanvati. It gave him two weeks to take instructions from the government and adjourned the PIL. The court, however, did not issue any notice on the PIL filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma.

Furqan has accused Balakrishnan of extending judicial favours to certain parties as the CJI. He also cited Balakrishnan’s eagerness to elevate Justice PD Dinakaran despite the latter facing land grabbing charges. Furqan claimed in his complaint that some politically sensitive cases were held back for long time due to the “pressure and influence exerted by Balakrishnan’s family members and relatives.”

Sharma’s PIL had also sought a judicial inquiry into the allegations that Balakrishnan’s kith and kin amassed wealth to the tune of crores during his tenure as the CJI.