The Kerala Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau has asked State Finance Minister KM Mani for time to question him in the case pertaining to the charge that he had taken Rs1 crore as bribe from the State’s bar owners. Mani expressed his readiness to appear for questioning but he would inform the Vigilance about a time suitable to him later as he was busy in administrative matters right now. It is learned that he has requested the Vigilance that he be questioned secretly and that he may appear for the exercise within a week.
Sources in the Vigilance said that Mani would be questioned on the basis of a prepared questionnaire. It will be based on the statements given by witnesses and the evidences the agency had collected so far. That the Vigilance is now preparing to question Mani indicates that the probe into the bar bribery scam has reached its final stages.
The Government had the other day told the Special Vigilance Court, Thiruvananthapuram that the probe was in the final stages according to the Vigilance and that the final probe report would be submitted soon. However, it is not yet certain whether there will be a chargesheet against Mani, chairman of the Kerala Congress (M), a major constituent of the Congress-led ruling UDF.
Superintendent of Police R Sukesan, who is heading the special investigation unit of the Vigilance, has so far recorded the statements of over 300 bar owners including all the top office-bearers of the Kerala Bar Hotels’ Association. The probe team is also recording for a second time statements from several bar owners whose original statements are unclear.
The Vigilance has already learned that the car of bar owner Biju Ramesh, who had leveled the Rs1-crore bribery allegation against Mani, had reached the Minister’s official residence on April 2, 2014. Biju Ramesh had said that it was in this trip that Rs35 lakh, final installment towards the total bribe of Rs1 crore, was paid to Mani.