Balakrishnan's brother goes on medical leave

Media reports say he amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income

K.G. Bhaskaran, brother of former Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan and Special Government Pleader for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe cases in the Kerala High Court, went on medical leave on Tuesday, amid media reports that stated he had amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The leave letter was sent to Advocate-General C.P. Sudhakara Prasad through a special messenger. Mr. Bhaskaran was appointed Special Government Pleader in July 2009. Earlier, he was working as public prosecutor in the High Court. In the letter, he said he was suffering from chronic respiratory problems.

Communiqué received

G. Anand writes from Thiruvananthapuram

The Home Department confirmed that it had received Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan's communiqué ordering a probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) into the allegation that P.V. Sreenijan, son-in-law of Mr. Balakrishnan, had amassed wealth much more than his known and legitimate sources of income would allow.

Mr. Achuthanandan ordered the inquiry against Mr. Sreenijan, Youth Congress leader and lawyer practising in the High Court, on the basis of a petition filed by Shamir of Mattanchery.

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan forwarded the Chief Minister's order to K. Jayakumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Vigilance.

Official sources said Mr. Jayakumar would forward the order to K.P. Somarajan, Director, VACB. One of the two special cells of the VACB, both having State-wide jurisdiction, would investigate the case, they said.

The complainant sought Mr. Achuthanandan's intervention on the grounds that certain quarters were politically influencing both the State and Central governments to thwart any possible anti-corruption inquiry against Mr. Sreenijan.