NHRC chief denies dereliction of duty in Raja phone call case

New Delhi, Dec.8 (ANI): National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson and former Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, on Wednesday said he had not received any letter or communication from Madras High Court Justice R. Reghupathi in connection with an allegation that former Telecom Minister A. Raja had tried to influence him (Reghupathi), and that he (Balakrishnan) had suppressed that letter.

Rejecting media aspersions that he had committed a dereliction of duty, Balakrishnan said: "I regret to say that the allegations are absolutely incorrect. When this incident was reported in the media, I sought for a report from the then Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Justice Gokhale and he sent me a report wherein nothing was mentioned about any Union Minister having made a telephonic talk with Justice Reghupathi to influence him."

"Therefore, there was no occasion for me to talk to the Prime Minister or to take any further action. I had disclosed these facts at the relevant time. Moreover, if anything happened like hat which amounted to interference in the judicial function of Justice Reghupathi, he himself could have exercised his powers of contempt of court for which no permission is required from the Chief Justice of India," an NHRC release quoted him, as saying further. (ANI)