Tainted judge Dinakaran trying to stall probe, says SC

The Supreme Court today lifted a stay against Sikkim chief justice P D Dinakaran (formerly of the Karnataka high court), noting that Dinakaran was using ''tactics'' to stall the proceedings against him.

At the same time, the apex court bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and C K Prasad asked the chairman of the Rajya Sabha to reconstitute the committee probing the judge by replacing senior Supreme Court advocate of Pavani Parameswara Rao with another jurist.

Dinakaran had alleged that senior counsel Rao, who is currently part of the three-member panel appointed by the Rajya Sabha to probe the corruption charges against him, was biased against him.

Dinakaran is facing charges of corruption on account of holding assests disproportionate to his known sources of income. Members of his family are also alleged to have amassed wealth while Dinakaran held office as Karnataka chief justice.

But even while ordering the committee to be reconstituted (thus effectively admitting Dinakaran's plea) the Supreme Court made strong observations against the judge, sayting that ''no court can come to the assistance of the petitioner'' as the kind of strategy he is adopting is not bona fide.

Dinakaran had alleged that the panel had framed additional charges, conducted investigations and collected material against him in ways which he said was not permissible by law.