Thiruvananthapuram: A day after Kerala Congress (M) supremo K M Mani resigned from the cabinet over bar bribery case, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday said he would hold the Finance portfolio, held by the former.
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The case was filed on the basis of an allegation levelled by Biju Ramesh, Working President of Kerala State Bar Hotel Owners Association in October a year ago that Mani had demanded Rs five crore from the Association and accepted Rs one crore as bribe for renewal of licenses to over 400 bar hotels.
Meanwhile, crying foul play against the government, senior CPI-M leader VS Achuthanandan has demanded probe into the matter.
He did not hide his bitterness that Excise Minister K. Babu was given better treatment in the bar bribery case and said “there was no need to register an FIR against me”.
“I had offered to resign when the allegations were first made. I can not make any comment about that”…, Mani said after the hotelier had come out saying that he was prepared to furnish evidence of bribery charges against Babu. What new evidence has been put forward by Biju Ramesh?’ he asked.
“Biju Ramesh had sent a message through a common friend that I should withdraw the defamation case”, Mr Babu said adding he will continue with the legal battle. He fully supported me.
He stated “nobody (in ruling UDF) requested Mani to resign”. According to Mani’s office sources, his statement had been “misinterpreted”.
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Babu told that Biju’s messengers had approached him seeking withdrawal of the defamation case in connection with the bar bribery case. Details of his statement given to the vigilance bureau under IPC section 165 (offences by or relating to public servants) also reached the public domain today.
