I spoke to Chief Minister. “I am not revealing the name as I don’t have evidences to establish it and also it is a matter affecting their privacy”.
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Apparently, stung by the strong observations against him by the High Court, the Vigilance Judge S S Vassan, who ordered the filing of FIR against Chandy and Power Minister Arayadan Mohammed, sought permission for voluntary retirement, about 16 months before his tenure ends. “The UDF committee has accepted the chief mini ster’s explanation on why Babu’s resignation shouldn’t be accepted”.
The decision was taken at a meeting attended by senior leaders including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other coalition party leaders.
He said Mani was bargaining with Congress ahead of his meeting with Amit Shah. “But, I’m not a party worker who is trapped in my image”, he said, explaining his decision to withdraw the resignation after the UDF leaders meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, early on Saturday.
The meeting also chose to urge the government to launch a comprehensive probe to bring out those behind the conspiracy, he said.
Besides, the UDF also opined that Mani who had quit as Finance Minister in the bar scandal, should return to the cabinet. “I will discuss this new request in my party”, Mani told reporters in Kottayam.
Meanwhile, CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said here that Chandy and his tainted cabinet colleagues had no moral right to continue in office because the Thrissur Vigilance court’s directive had only been stayed.
“He knows that he (Chandy) is tainted, so he wants Babu to return”. The Kerala High Court stayed the Vigilance court order which contained references against me and questioned the Vigilance court’s logic in issuing such an order.
Working President of Kerala Bar Owners Association Biju Ramesh had alleged that Rs 10 crore was given to Excise Minister K Babu for renewal of licences of liquor bars.
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But it is quite extraordinary that as CM Mr Chandy did not take matters in hand long ago and begin to take executive action against those suspected to have accepted bribes from shady operators even if this cost him some political points.
