BeyondHeadlines News Desk
New Delhi: In a survey done at the behest of the Kerala Government, the special branch of the Kerala police has estimated that property transactions worth more than Rs 2 crore were carried out by close relatives of former Chief Justice of India (CJI) KG Balakrishnan over the past five years. The report lists several properties owned by the ex-CJI’s family but neither mentions their value nor indicates when they were bought.
According to the report, Nirmala Balakrishnan, the ex-CJI’s wife, bought 2.68 acres of land at Elakkad in Kottayam at a cost of Rs 5 lakh on October 26, 2006. Advocate MJ Benny, son-in-law of Justice Balakrishnan, purchased five properties worth over Rs 80.5 lakh between 2008 and 2010 and a shop in a commercial complex at Marad at a cost of Rs 35 lakh on December 21, 2007.
Justice Balakrishnan’s brother, advocate T Bhaskaran, and his wife Thankamma purchased a 0.3 acre plot together with a house worth Rs 21.75 lakh at Thiruvaniyur in Ernakulam on June 24, 2009. The report states Bhaskaran, his wife and kin also bought several properties in Dindigul.
Abhilash T Chandran, son of Justice Balakrishnan’s elder brother, purchased a plot worth Rs 5 lakh at Athirambuzha in Kottayam district on July 16, 2005 and another plot worth Rs 3.5 lakh at Pooppara Village in Idukki district on November 10, 2009. Chandran owns a jewellery shop and a shop selling electrical gear at Vellur in Kottayam district and a restaurant-bar in Palakkad. He also owns 14 vehicles, including two Mercedes Benz cars and two Skodas.
The report lists details of property deals carried out by advocate KB Sony, Justice Balakrishnan’s daughter, and her husband, advocate P V Sreenijan, including the purchase of a plot at Elamakkara on the outskirts of Kochi for Rs 30 lakh on June 5, 2009. Many leaders of the ruling CPM in the state have blamed the centre for not acting on allegations of disproportionate assets owned by Justice Balakrishnan and his relatives. But it now appears that their own government may be questioned for not acting despite being in possession of a report, which lends credence to those allegations.
K Jayakumar, additional chief secretary in charge of home and vigilance, said: “The report was submitted on January 13 and is now with the home minister (Kodiyeri Balakrishnan). We have to get it back and take action. We will do that today (Saturday) itself. We have not contemplated what form of action could be taken in this issue,”
