''No govt role on IT declining details of former CJI''s assets''

Chennai, Feb 15 (PTI) Union Law Minister M VeerappaMoily today said the government had no role to play on theissue of I-T authorities in Kerala declining to furnishdetails of assets of former CJI K G Balakrishnan and hisfamily members.

"I don''t know what role government has to play. It isfor the respective Information Commissioner to deal with it,"he told reporters at the airport here on his arrival for anofficial engagement.

He said that he had come across the issue only in thepress, adding "nothing is authenticated."

He, however, asserted, "I want to make one thing veryclear. The government has no role to play."

Income Tax authorities at Kochi had declined to revealdetails of tax returns filed Balakrishnan and his familymembers on an application under the Right to Information Actafter the NHRC chairman and former CJI objected todisclosures.

Applicant T Balachandran had sought information anddocuments, certified copies of IT returns submitted by JusticeBalakrishnan for 2005-06 to 2009-10, details of investigationand inquiry by the department against him and his son, K BPradeep, two daughters -- Sony and Rani, sons-in law M J Bennyand P V Sreenijan and brother K G Bhaskaran.

Moily further said that no one "should very lightlyspeak about persons who occupy highest position."

"This is not desirable. This will shake the confidenceof institutions consciously preserved by the constitution," hesaid.

To a query on BJP''s demand for Joint ParliamentaryCommittee probe into CWG, Adarsh housing and 2G scams, heslammed them for their "perversity".

He asked if that meant the Parliament or variousstanding committees should not function and that JPC aloneshould function.

"I am very sorry for the perversity of theOpposition," he said.