“We don’t know the circumstances in which he mentioned it, but we don’t agree with it. Courts are the last resort of the common man to get justice and nobody should cast aspersions on the judiciary,” said Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy.

Sudhakaran had alleged at a public meeting in Kottarakkara, 45 km from here, that he had personally witnessed bribe being passed on to the judge.

“A Supreme Court judge accepted a Rs 21-lakh bribe from bar owners in 1994 to revoke a Kerala High Court verdict which cancelled bar licences of 21 owners,” he said. “After the judge got this money, the aggrieved parties were approached again by the judge with a promise that tax on the bars could be relaxed for more money,” Sudhakaran affirmed and alleged that another Rs 15 lakh was paid again.

 The MP, however, refused to name the judge saying he did not have the evidence to do so. “I am ready to reveal the details and name him only in a court of law,” he said at the public meeting.

For the Congress party which has always criticised the CPM for daring the judiciary and judges, this was also a time to reiterate its faith in courts. “Let there be no doubt that the Congress party will never take a stand which would weaken the judiciary. We feel that judges should not be criticised even when the verdicts are adverse,” KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala said here.

Judiciary flayed
What seems to have isolated  Sudhakaran further was the occasion chosen by him to raise the serious allegations. He was speaking at a reception organised in support of Kerala Congress leader and former UDF minister R Balakrishna Pillai who was recently convicted by the Supreme Court in the Idamalayar dam case.

Most speakers had a go at the judiciary at the public meeting organised at Pillai’s home town.   Meanwhile, the CPM has asked Sudhakaran to reveal the details of his bribery claim and also criticised his silence all these years.

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said “a case would be registered under IPC 120 to create a conducive atmosphere for Sudhakaran to reveal more.”