Vigilance to take call on bargate report: Ramesh Chennithala
The officer claimed that there was evidence of bribe money being received at Mani's Pala residence
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday said the decision to file charge sheet in bar bribe will be taken by the vigilance department as per the well laid down procedures in such cases.
Responding to a TV channel sting operation in which investigation officer R Sukesan reportedly alleged that there was pressure on vigilance legal adviser from certain Church leaders to give a report in favour of Finance Minister K M Mani, Chennithala said it was for the vigilance director to examine whether it was appropriate for officers to speak in this manner.
The recorded version of his conversation also referred to the vigilance probe team having collected 60 per cent evidence against Mani for filing the charge sheet.
The officer claimed that there was evidence of bribe money being received at Mani's Pala residence. The investigating officer is heard saying that the investigation report should be put on the internet. Let legal experts and retired judges evaluate the report and come to a conclusion whether a charge sheet against him should be filed or not, he said.
Mr Chennithala said there was no pressure from the government on the vigilance department or interference in the entire investigation process.
“There is a procedure for all these matters. You cannot have a different yardstick for one particular case.” He said there was nothing new in the sting operation since all these allegations had been widely reported by media earlier.
