Tiruvallur:
Are the odds now stacked against Justice Dinakaran? The Karnataka Chief Justice's elevation to the Supreme Court has been kept in abeyance following a report by the Tiruvallur collector on alleged encroachment of government land in Tamil Nadu by the judge.
After the judge had denied the findings of the collector, the officer has sent additional evidence to the Supreme Court to prove the charge of encroachment.
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is also reported to have sought the views of the Tamil Nadu government. But the ruling DMK says the collector`s views are the governments views.
The DMK MP and party spokesperson, T K S Elangovan, said, "How can the collector`s report be different from the government`s stand? Our report will be the same as the district official's."
In his second report to the Chief Justice of India, the Tiruvallur collector has sought to substantiate his earlier finding of encroachment of government land by Justice Dinakaran.
NDTV has details of a crucial annexure in the collectors report which lists out survey numbers of plots measuring 80.78 hectares, that`s almost 200 acres in Tirutani Taluk.
The collector has also enclosed a colour map, documents and photographs of fencing around the disputed land.
Justice Dinakaran, who had earlier served in the Madras High Court, had accused the collector of getting his facts wrong. The Supreme Court Collegium had put Justice Dinakaran`s elevation on hold and sought a second report from the Tiruvallur district administration.
The disputed land is right next to a village occupied by landless Dalit labourers. Backed by the CPM, they want the Tamil Nadu government to reclaim the land and give them 2 acres each under the free land scheme.
A resident of the locality Mariamma said, "Why should one man have so much land? Shouldn't we too have something to call our own?"
The Tamil Nadu government's final response to the Supreme Court may hold the key to Justice Dinakaran`s elevation.