KOCHI / THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (PTI): In more embarrassment for former CJI Justice K G Balakrishnan, his younger brother was on Tuesday asked by Kerala government to resign as special pleader in the High Court or go on leave following allegations of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.
A day after the state government decided to order a vigilance probe against Balakrishnan's son-in-law P V Sreenijan on similar charges, K G Bhaskaran was asked by the advocate general Sudhakara Prasad to either demit office or proceed on leave.
Bhaskaran, appointed as special government pleader for various cases relating to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, opted to go on medical leave, AG's office sources said.
The action came on a day when Kerala government set in motion the process of initiating a vigilance probe into alleged amassing of wealth by Sreenijan, an advocate.
State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan referred to the Home Secretary the recommendation by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan to hold an inquiry into allegations against Sreenijan, a former state vice-president of Youth Congress.
Achuthanandan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that the complaint had been forwarded to the Home Department which would urgently pursue the matter.
Bhaskaran had not been attending office since the court reopened after vacation on Monday.
Media reports said Bhaskaran had purchased about 60 acres in Dindigul in Tamil Nadu in 2005-06 in the name of his wife, four children and K G Praveen, a close relative of Balakrishnan, had built a farmhouse there. The property is reportedly up for sale.
Bhaskaran had said the media reports were 'exaggerated'.
Achuthanandan had forwarded a complaint by one Samir from Mattanchery, seeking a vigilance probe against Sreenijan to the Home Minister, suggesting it would be appropriate to hold an inquiry by Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau.
Vigilance sources said the next step would be examination of various legal aspects of the case, including whether Sreenijan can be defined as a public servant.
In his complaint based on media reports, Samir alleged that Sreenijan had, within four years, purchased flats and land in prime locations in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, now valued at over Rs seven crore.
Sreenijan, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2006 assembly polls from Njarackkal constituency in Ernakulam, had claimed in his affidavit to the Election Commission that he had a bank balance of Rs 25,000 and no landed property at that time.
Balakrishnan's brother goes on leave
KOCHI (IANS): Embattled former chief justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan's brother, special government counsel K.G. Bhaskaran, is on leave since Monday, an official confirmed.
The office of the Advocate General C.P. Sudhakara Prasad said Bhaskaran has gone on leave.
The development comes at a time when Bhaskaran's name has also figured in the list of relatives of the former chief justice who have allegedly amassed wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
Bhaskaran was appointed as a government counsel by the previous Congress-led state government. He was retained by the Left government under V.S. Achuthanandan, which assumed office in May 2006.
The Left government later made him a special government counsel.
Bhaskaran has also not been appearing in court lately, an official said.
TV channels here have been following the wealth accumulation of the immediate family members of Balakrishnan ever since retired Supreme Court judge V.R. Krishna Iyer held a press conference Dec 27 demanding an investigation into how Balakrishnan's son-in-law P.V. Srinijin, a Congress leader and a lawyer by profession, could acquire immense wealth in just three years.
Kerala government's home department Tuesday launched proceedings for a vigilance probe against Srinijin after receiving a letter from Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.
Balakrishnan is currently the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission.