In a significant volte-face loaded with political
implications in an election year, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption
Bureau has given a clean chit to former Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani
in the bar bribery case.
There is no evidence that
Mani received the money from bar owners as alleged, the Bureau said in
its report submitted to the Vigilance Court here at the end of a
‘further probe’. The irony about the latest development is that the
repeat probe was conducted by none other than Superintendent of Police R
Sukesan, who had carried out the task the first time as well.
He
sought closure of the case since he “could not find evidence that a
bribe was either sought for or given.” He went on to pick some holes in
the array of evidences listed out in the first instance.
There are some inconsistencies with respect to those referred to court then, sources quoted him as saying in the application.
A
‘further probe’ was initiated into this high-profile case after the
High Court of Kerala made some adverse comments against Mani. This had
led to his resignation as Finance Minister in November last year.
The
High Court had observed that Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion
and proceeded to wonder why the State government should be worried about
the prospects of a further probe. The court had gone on to take the
government to task for showing no qualms about “spending tax payer’s
money to defend a minister who is facing serious corruption charges.”
Meanwhile,
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has welcomed the development and said that
there is nothing that prevented Mani from returning as the Finance
Minister “if the particular circumstances that led to his resignation
cease to exist.”
He had all along been saying that Mani would prove himself above suspicion, Chandy said, adding: “He stands vindicated now.”
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