The eminent jurist Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer on Monday demanded a high-level probe into the assets of the family of the former Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan.
Justice Iyer’s demand follows an expose by a local TV channel that the former CJI’s son-in-law P.V. Srinijan, a member of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, had amassed assets amounting to `7 crores in the last few years.
According to the channel, Mr Srinijan, who had also served as vice-president of the Youth Congress, had bought a prime property in Thrissur and Ernakulam, apart from flats and costly vehicles. He is reportedly building a resort at a 2.5 acre plot adjacent to a river in Thrissur.
The Congress leader, who is married to the former CJI’s daughter, Sony, had contested from the Njarakkal constituency in 2006 but had been defeated.
Reacting to the development, Justice Iyer said a panel of judges should probe the allegations made against Mr Balakrishnan’s family or the credibility of the judiciary itself would take a severe beating. The DYFI also came out against Mr Srinijan and said he had amassed more wealth than the channel had exposed.
Meanwhile, the KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said that the allegations against Mr Srinijan had come to his notice.