Thiruvananthapuram: Congress in Kerala on Monday
distanced itself from party MP K Sudhakaran`s controversial
statement that he was witness to a supreme court judge being
bribed about 15 years back.
"The congress party had always held judiciary in high esteem.
The party is of the firm view that a strong judiciary is
essential for a healthy democracy`, KPCC President Ramesh
Chennithal told reporters here.
" We always respect court verdicts. There were instances
of political parties expressing reservations over court
orders. However, this was not done with the intention of
maligning the judiciary`, he said.
Asked if there woud be disciplinary action against the MP,
Chennithala said he would speak to Sudhakaran and find out
what prompted him to make such a speech.
While virtually disapproving Sudhakaran`s remaks, State
Opposition leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy
said his avowed stand had alwasy been that there should not
be any attempt from any quarter to question the credibility
of judiciary.
Meanwhile, State Home Minister and senior CPI-M leader
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said a case would be registered in
connection with Sudhakaran`s speech.
Since his comment amounted to discrediting the judiciary
as a whole, he should specify the details of his allegation.
While speaking at a public meeting organised at
Kottarakkara in Kollam district on saturday, Sudhakaran had
said that he was witness to a judge being bribed apparently
for getting a favourable decision in a case seeking
restoration of bar licences cancelled by the Kerala High
Court.
A former state minister who now represents Kannur in the Lok
Sabha, Sudhakaran made the charge without naming the judge at
the meeting organised by the supporters of Kerala Congress-B
leader R Balakrishna Pillai, who was recently sentenced to one
year imprisonment by the Supreme Court in a corruption case.
PTI
