Justice Dinakaran yet to get transfer order

BANGALORE - Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran, battling land grab allegations, has not received any communication so far that he has been transferred to another high court, the court’s spokesperson said Saturday.

“There is no communication so far,” the spokesperson told IANS.

“No,” said the spokesperson when asked whether there was any talk over the telephone between Dinakaran and Chief Justice of India K.G.Balakrishnan on reports that Dinakaran has been asked to go on leave or has been transferred to Sikkim.

He denied reports that Dinakaran was planning to go on a fast in front of the high court Monday.

“A TV channel had reported this but we have told them it is not true. The news clip has been withdrawn,” he said.

For the last two days, reports have been emanating from New Delhi that the Supreme Court collegium decided to transfer Dinakaran to Sikkim following his refusal to proceed on leave till impeachment proceedings against him are disposed of.

A motion to impeach Dinakaran has been admitted in the Rajya Sabha. The proceedings were initiated following allegations by a section of advocates in Dinakaran’s home state of Tamil Nadu that large tracts of government land have been encroached by him and his family members.

Dinakaran has denied the allegations, which surfaced when his appointment as a Supreme Court judge was under consideration by the apex court collegium last year.

Meanwhile, reports from Sikkim said advocates in that state had threatened an agitation if Dinakaran was posted there.

Reports of Dinakaran being sent to Sikkim surfaced after union Law Minister Veerappa Moily said the Karnataka chief justice was not above the law. Moily’s comment came on reports that Dinakaran had declined to go on leave as suggested by the Supreme Court collegium.

Dinakaran has not been hearing cases for nearly a month now. He has, however, been carrying out administrative work as head of the state high court.