No comment by Manmohan Singh on Markandey Katju claim, says H R Bhardwaj has clarified

NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today refused to comment on the claim by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju that three ex-Chief Justices of India made "improper compromises" during UPA rule in retaining a judge in Tamil Nadu under corruption cloud.

When contacted for a reaction, Singh said he has nothing to say as former Law Minister H R Bhardwaj has already clarified the issue.

Bharadwaj earlier insisted that no "undue favours" were given to the judge because proper procedure was followed.

"So far as political threats to a coalition government is concerned there were always pressure(from allies) on appointment of judges which I never yielded," he said.

Meanwhile, close aides of the former Prime Minister asserted that nobody approached Singh at airport at any time during departure or arrival from a foreign visit as stated by Katju.

They said that there was, in fact, no scope for such a meeting at the airport as the then Prime Minister would get down from his car just next to the aircraft Air India One before boarding it.