Bar bribery scam: Vigilance report gives clean chit to Kerala Minister K Babu

Kerala Vigilance department on Monday filed a Quick Verification Report (QVR) in a special court here, giving a clean chit to Excise Minister K Babu in the bar bribery scam, saying there was no evidence to substantiate the charges levelled against him.

Complying with a High Court direction to submit the QVR in ten days, Vigilance Director N Sankar Reddy filed the report in the court of the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Vigilance Judge who had recently directed registration of an FIR against Babu and Bar hotelier Biju Ramesh. The Judge had passed the order on a complaint filed by one George Vattukulam who sought a probe against them.

Biju Ramesh had alleged that Rs 10 crore had been paid as bribe to Babu to get favourable decisions in renewal of bar licences. According to the Vigilance sources, since it did not find any evidence against the Minister, there was no need to register FIR against him.

The report stated that statements from 13 persons, including that of Babu's personal staff and two of his sons-in-law, were taken and 44 documents examined, they said. The Vigilance court judge was on leave today and the report is likely to come up before the court later.

Following the vigilance court's direction, Babu had submitted his resignation and moved the High Court which stayed the Vigilance court order on January 28. But the court had asked the director to complete the QVR and file a report within 10 days. With the High Court staying the lower court order, Babu later returned to the cabinet.