Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani gets clean chit in bar bribery case from Anti-Corruption Bureau
The Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Wednesday gave a clean chit to Finance Minister KM Mani in its report to a special court on the bar bribery scandal.
Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani has been given a clean chit by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Wednesday, according to an Indian Express report
The case was registered by VACB against Mani, who is Kerala Congress (M) supremo, on the basis of statements given by some of those questioned by investigators as part of a preliminary inquiry into the allegation that he had taken a hefty sum as bribe from bar owners for decisions favourable to them. On Tuesday, an investigating officer had submitted the report asking the court’s permission to close the case.
According to the VACB, there is sparse evidence to chargesheet Mani. The bar owners had apparently gone to the Congress chief's house with money but there is no proof to suggest they bribed him. Some owners have stated that they had gone to collect funds to fight against the ban in court.
The vigilance department added that they were examining the documents, however there isn't enough to prove that Mani was working for the bar owners' interest.