File photo: Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani.
A special vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram today posted to October 29 for orders the bar bribery case in which an FIR has been filed against State Finance Minister KM Mani.
The hearing concluded today of 10 petitions, including that of CPI(M) veteran and Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan, challenging the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau report seeking closure of the case against Mr Mani holding that there was no evidence to frame a charge sheet against him.
In its report submitted before the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge John K Illekadan in June last, the vigilance had sought closure of the case against Mr Mani.
The petitioners had sought a fresh probe into the case and quashing of the Vigilance closure report.
The Vigilance report stated there was no evidence to corroborate the charges levelled against Mr Mani that he had demanded Rs five crore and accepted Rs one crore as bribe.
The case against Mr Mani was registered on the basis of the charge by Working President of Kerala State Bar Hotel Owners Association Biju Ramesh, after Achuthanandan filed a complaint before the Vigilance, seeking a probe.
Ramesh had levelled the charges in November last and after a 'Quick Verification', Vigilance registered an FIR in the case.
The charge was that Mr Mani had demanded Rs five crore and received Rs one crore from the Association for renewal of licence of 470 foreign liquor bars between March 20 and April 2, 2014.
CPI(M)-led LDF Opposition had been on a warpath demanding Mr Mani's resignation since the scam broke out in November 2014.
The assembly had also witnessed unprecedented violence over the issue when LDF members tried to prevent Mr Mani from presenting the budget on March 13 last.