Collegium wants to further probe Dinakaran

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court collegium on Sunday again put off a decision on Justice P D Dinakaran���s elevation to the apex court. Amid charges by the Thiruvallur Collector that he had encroached on public land, the collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, decided to further examine allegations of land grabbing and corruption against him.

The Karnataka high court Chief Justice, who was in the Capital to attend the two-day National Consultation organised for chief justices of all high courts, has denied the charges and maintained that he stood by what he had told CJI earlier. Justice Dinakaran had said he had not acquired any land after being appointed HC judge.

The collegium will look into documents to see if there was any truth in the allegations. The Thiruvallur collector���s report said that Justice Dinakaran had encroached upon 197 acres of public land in Kaverirajapuram village of the district. The government, which has put the question of Justice Dinakaran���s promotion on hold, is awaiting a new recommendation by the collegium.