The Kerala police on Tuesday registered a case against the Kannur Congress MP, Mr K. Sudhakaran, over his allegation that a Supreme Court judge had taken a bribe of `21 lakh for restoring annulled bar licences in the early 1990s. It was in the midst of a heated speech the other day that the Congress strongman said that he witnessed
the handing over of the bribe to the judge by some bar owners. However, the MP did not name the judge. On the basis of a complaint by a lawyers’ association, the police here registered a case against the MP under Sections 120 and 202 (for not informing authorities about an offence) of the Indian Penal Code.
The home minister, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, a CPI(M) leader of Kannur who has been fighting Mr Sudhakaran for years, had said on Monday that the government would give an “opportunity to the MP to divulge more details of the serious allegation he made.”
Mr Sudhakaran, known for his vituperative speeches, had made the allegation while attending a reception given to the former minister and Kerala Congress(B) leader, Mr R. Balakrishna Pillai, who was sentenced to one year in jail by the SC in the Idamalayar corruption case.
His obvious attempt was to give moral support to Mr Pillai, who has been claiming that he was innocent and had been punished in an unjust manner.
A red-faced Congress has already distanced itself from the MP with the KPCC president, Mr Ramesh Chennithala, saying that the party would not tolerate any statements against the judiciary.
The chief minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, and the CPI(M) had also condemned the MP’s statements and had urged the SC to take suo moto action against him.