“I am too thick skinned for such allegations; I can take care of it”, CJI Dattu regarding allegations in Jayalalithaa bail matter

Chief Justice of India HL Dattu today played down a lawyer’s request for “looking into” allegations levelled against the CJI in the Jayalalithaa bail case..Advocate R Krishnamurthy, who interfered during the oral mentioning today, told the CJI that serious allegations were levelled against Justice Dattu in the print and electronic media in Tamil Nadu and a committee should be constituted to investigate into the matter..“The media are making allegations and it affects the image of the institution”, he said..Justice Dattu, however, shot back saying that,.“Somebody will say I have taken Rs. 1000 crore to grant bail etc. Don’t worry. I can take care of it. I am too thick skinned for such allegations. Don’t worry!”.The immediate reason for Krishnamurthy’s mentioning today is believed to be a letter dated December 5, 2014, written to Justice HL Dattu, by a social activist popularly known as Traffic Ramaswamy, who had sought Justice Dattu’s recusal from the Jayalalithaa case..The request was made on the ground that,.“there is enough information to suggest that there is a conspiracy to acquit the accused within a tenure of your kindself by ensuring that the appeal is finished in five months….Upto 1000 crores seems to be the total bargain and 200 crores seems to be transferred already for procuring the present order.”.The letter further states that some persons from the Madras High Court and a sitting judge in the rank of a District judge are aware of the facts and leaked out the information to Ramaswamy..Ramaswamy had, therefore, requested Justice Dattu to recuse from hearing the case..A Supreme Court Bench presided by Justice Dattu had granted bail to Jayalalithaa on October 17 this year in the disproportionate assets case after Karnataka High Court had refused to release her on bail.