Ex-CJI Verma asks K G Balakrishnan to quit as NHRC chief

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) With the Income Tax departmentalleging former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan''s kinpossess "black money", ex-CJI J S Verma today demanded thatBalakrishnan should quit as NHRC chief and if he does not, thePresident should intervene to get him removed from the post.

"I think he (Balakrishnan) should quit and if theallegations are not true according to him, the burden lies onhim to prove them wrong and silence is no longer an option,"Verma said reacting to the charge by the I-T department.

On if he refuses to step down, Verma said, "Well, inthat case, I think it''s time the President should move in totake action. There is after all a provision for removal.

"So if he chooses to keep quiet and doesn''t havehimself cleared, well then, the removal proceedings should becommenced," he said.

In further embarrassment to Balakrishnan, who iscurrently the Chairperson of the National Human RightsCommission (NHRC), the Income Tax authorities in Kochi hadalleged yesterday that three of his relatives were found topossess black money during their investigation intoallegations of amassment of disproportionate wealth by them.

"As far as Justice Balakrishnan is concerned, I cannotsay anything. But as far as his relatives-- two sons-in-lawand brother are concerned, we have found there is blackmoney", Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Kochi,E T Lukose, had told reporters.

Justice Balakrishnan''s sons-in-law P V Sreenijan andM J Benny, both advocates, and brother K G Bhaskaran, formerSpecial government pleader, have been found to be possessingblack money, he had said.

Verma said, "He (Balakrishnan) continues to be NHRCChairman. His words hold no credibility. See, it''s like this.

Corruption is the most egregious form of human rightsviolation.

"And a person accused of serious human rightsviolation heading the National Human Rights Commission itselfis a great travesty of justice," the ex-Chief Justice of Indiasaid. (More) PTI SAK SC