A day after a claim was made public that Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram had committed perjury while testifying at a civil suit trial, the Bar Council has asked for speculation to be curbed and that the police be allowed to investigate further.

ragunath kesavan bar council pc 080808 01 Bar Chairperson Ragunath Kesavan ( left ) said it was only a mere allegations made by a lawyer against the senior judge.

"The civil case between the two is still pending an appeal. Let the police investigate the matter. I cannot comment further as I am unfamiliar with the allegations made," he said when contacted by Malaysiakini .

Asked to comment on whether the council would agree to the lawyer's request for a special tribunal to investigate the allegation, Ragunath said there must first be special circumstances to allow that.

"It has to go through Parliament (for the tribunal to be passed) and the allegation into judicial misconduct would also have to be substantiated," he said.

However, to date, no complaint has been lodged with the Bar Council over the matter.

Partner's allegations

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that a police report had been lodged on Monday at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters by Gopal's ex-legal firm partner C Vijaya Kumar alleging that the judge had committed perjury and that he had failed to declare a sum of RM700,000 for taxes.

gopal sri ram Kumar accused Gopal ( right ) of perjury when testifying at a civil suit involving the two earlier this year.

He alleged Gopal had lied under oath when the he claimed that he had paid tax for the sum of RM700,000 which he had received to divest his interests in the law firm of Sri Ram & Co.

"Particulars contained in the tax return and the notice of assessment for the relevant year do not disclose the said income," claimed the lawyer

Therefore, he inferred that the senior judge had not only committed perjury - an offence punishable under Section 193 of the Penal Code and which carries a maximum jail term of seven years and fine - but had also violated the Income Tax Act 1967.

Appeal, cross-appeal filed

Gopal, who was elevated from the Court of Appeal to the apex court earlier this year, is scheduled to retire next year.

He was the longest serving appellate court judge, having been appointed from the Bar in 1994 before his promotion earlier this year.

Vijaya Kumar has also lodged a similar complaint against Gopal with Chief Justice Zaki Azmi.

With regards to Sri Ram & Co, Judicial Commissioner Harmindar Singh Dhaliwall had on Aug 14 dismissed Gopal's claim to get the firm's library books back and ruled that the propriety and possession of the firm’s law library were vested with Vijaya Kumar.

He, however, dismissed Vijaya Kumar's counter-claim of RM252,000. Gopal has filed an appeal over the decision while Vijaya Kumar has filed a cross-appeal.