M A I N   N E W S

Dinakaran to face 16 charges of corruption
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, March 19
The inquiry panel set up by the Rajya Sabha has decided to go into 16 charges of corruption and irregularities against Sikkim High Court Chief Justice PD Dinakaran while assessing the need for pursuing the impeachment proceedings in Parliament for his removal.

The panel, comprising Justice Aftab Alam of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice KS Khehar of the Karnataka HC and constitutional expert PP Rao, has asked Justice Dinakaran to file his response to the charges by April 9. The chargesheet was served on him two days ago.

The charges against him include encroachment of public property and land belonging to Dalits and other weaker sections, possession of wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income, ‘benami’ transactions, holding agricultural land beyond the ceiling in Tamil Nadu, destruction of evidence, undervaluation of sale agreements, evasion of stamp duty and illegal constructions.

Justice Dinakaran will also be questioned on allegations about facilitating dishonest judicial decisions and administrative actions by fixing rosters of judges while he was the Chief Justice of the Karnataka HC. Further, he will have to explain staff appointments and transfer of judges.

The panel slapped the charges on the basis of documents provided by the Income Tax Department, the Karnataka HC and the government of Tamil Nadu, where he was a high court judge.

Justice Dinakaran, whose elevation to the Supreme Court was dropped in December 2009 following various allegations, has been given the liberty to argue his case before the RS panel either personally or through a lawyer.

He was shifted to Sikkim after the RS admitted an impeachment motion on December 17, 2009. This was followed by RS Chairman Hamid Ansari constituting the panel.