Allegations against ex-CJI Balakrishnan being probed

NEW DELHI: The Centre today told the Supreme Court that it is probing into the allegations that former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and his relatives had amassed disproportionate assets during his tenure as judge and submitted a probe status report to it in a sealed envelop.

Appearing before a bench of Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justice Swatanter Kumar, Attorney General G E Vahanvati said the Income Tax Department is currently engaged in assessing the properties of Balakrishnan's two son-in-laws and brother.

The bench after going through the report asked the government to tell it as to what further action it intended to take on allegations against former CJI.

The bench granted three weeks to apprise it of the future course of action, to be taken by the government on the issue.

The court's direction came during hearing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by civil society Common Cause, which alleged that ex-CJI and his relative amassed wealth far exceeding their legal income during Balakrishnan's tenure as an apex court's judge.

The PIL sought apex court's direction to the government to take proper action against the ex-XJI, who is presently the chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).