Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: In more embarassment
for former CJI Justice K G Balakrishnan, his younger brother
was today asked by Kerala government to resign as special
pleader in the High Court or go on leave following allegations
of amassing wealth disproprotionate 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 yesterday.
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.
PTI
