Case against former CJI: SC seeks A-G’s assistance

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Attorney-General to assist in a petition seeking a CBI probe into the alleged amassing of wealth by the kith and kin of former Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan during his tenure as an apex court judge and National Human Rights Commission Chairperson.

“Let the learned Attorney-General appear and assist us,” a Bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant said.

The Bench then fixed the public interest petition filed by NGO Common Cause for hearing on November 15.

The court, however, said it would not go into the allegations of ‘benami’ transactions, but would look into the alleged income-tax violations. “It is the duty of the Income-Tax officer to find out the source of income. That action has not been taken,” Justice Misra remarked.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, for the NGO, alleged that around 21 properties have been acquired in the names of son, daughter and brother of the former CJI.

Moreover, the queries of the I-T Department on sources of income have not been sufficiently replied to, Mr. Bhushan submitted.

Mr. Bhushan, at the beginning of the hearing, said the prayer in the petition to remove Justice Balakrishnan as Chairperson of the NHRC has been rendered infructuous as he has already demitted office. He blamed the non-listing of the petition for a considerable time as the reason behind it.