india

Updated: Jul 23, 2014 22:13 IST

Former Supreme Court judge and Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju on Wednesday hit back at DMK chief M Karunanidhi by asking him to disclose how much his family's wealth has grown after joining politics.



He was responding to the DMK leader's remarks questioning the timing of Katju's blog post that said three former chief justices of India helped an allegedly corrupt Tamil Nadu judge to remain in office in 2004.



Karunanidhi had said Katju was making allegations at someone's behest and his silence for 10 years "spoke volumes about his integrity".



In a stinging response posted on Facebook, Katju said, "Mr. Karunanidhi has made various allegations against me.

Watch: Markandey Katju clarifies not raising the corrupt judge issue earlier

He should disclose what was the wealth of himself and his family (including the Marans) before he joined politics, and what is it today?"



The PCI chairman had alluded in his blog that DMK had pressurised its ally UPA to appoint the tainted judge on a post at the Madras High Court.



Katju's poser comes a day after the attorney general of India Mukul Rohtagi said there was enough material to prosecute former telecom minister and DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanidhi Maran in a case involving Malaysian company Maxis, Aircel and Sun TV network run by the Marans.



According to the case, 2G licenses to Aircel were given only after the company was acquired by Malaysia-based company Maxis group. Its wholly-owned subsidiary had invested Rs 650 crore in Sun Direct, a television company owned by Kalanidhi.



Katju's stinging attack, seen in the light of these developments, alludes to corruption suspected to be behind the huge wealth amassed by the DMK leadership over the years in politics.