KOZHIKODE/KOCHI: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has demanded an impartial investigation into the ‘bar scam’ by a newly-constituted Vigilance probe team comprising competent officials. Mr Balakrishnan told reporters here on Saturday that the petition filed by Vigilance SP R. Sukesan at the Vigilance Court, Thiruvananthapuram, saying that the clean chit given to former finance minister K.M. Mani in the bar scam was under pressure from the then Vigilance director N. Shanker Reddy had exposed the truth.
“If the Vigilance director had acted out of the way to save Mani by forcing his subordinates to file cooked up reports, it is a serious mater and should be investigated,” he said. “Our opinion is that Mr Sukesan should lead the investigation team, but it is up to the Vigilance director to decide the team,” he added. “I hope the Vigilance director would pick the best of his team for the re-investigation of the case,” he said. When queried about the allegation of Mr Mani that the move of Vigilance official was part of a conspiracy, Mr Balakrishnan said that the Vigilance team should also investigate Mani’s allegations.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Kochi that the order of the Vigilance Court in Thiruvananthapuram to continue the investigation against Mr Mani in the bar bribery case was in the right direction. Stating that he was unaware of the details of the verdict, Mr Pinarayi said the LDF had pointed out the irregularities in the probe earlier also. “We have said that the investigation was not in the right direction. The decision of the court has now endorsed our views,” he said. The investigation will proceed properly, he added.
