Justice Dinakaran issued chargesheet by RS panel

The committee comprising Supreme Court Justice Aftab Alam, Karnataka High Court Chief Justice J S Khehar and noted lawyer P P Rao sent a charge sheet containing 16 specific charges against Justice Dinakaran.

The chargesheet, prepared on March 16, sought a response from him by April 9.
The panel to probe the allegations against Justice Dinakaran was set up by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari in December 2009 after a motion under the Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968 to remove him was admitted by the Upper House.

Serious allegations of land grabbing and corruption were made against Justice Dinakaran, then acting as chief justice of the Karnataka High Court when his name was recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court in August 2009.

A group of lawyers had sent several representations against the move. With the charge sheet having been issued, Justice Dinakaran can defend either by himself or by engaging a lawyer before the committee.

Among the 16 charges are those relating to benami transaction, illegal encroachment on public property and land belonging to Dalits and other weaker sections, and dishonest administrative actions by fixing rosters of judges to facilitate dishonest judicial decisions.
Besides, he was also accused of accumulating wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.