THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After claiming the scalp of the veteran Finance Minister, Mr K M Mani, the Opposition has stepped up pressure on the government, endorsing bar owner Biju Ramesh’s allegation that Excise Minister K Babu, a confidante of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, pocketed Rs 1 crore for diluting the bar licence fee hike in 2013.
Mr Biju Ramesh alleged at a press conference in Kochi on Wednesday that he handed over Rs 1 crore (two instalments of Rs 50 lakh each) at Mr Babu’s office at the Secretariat.
The money was handed over to the Minister’s private secretary, Mr R Suresh, he alleged. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan immediately took up the matter with the Vigilance director, asking him to conduct a quick verification or be prepared to face the music in the court for failure to act in time.
Mr Babu countered the allegations at a press conference, claiming that Mr Ramesh had pressurized him through bar owner Polakkulam Krishnadas to withdraw his civil and
criminal defamation suits. He also cited inconsistencies in Mr Ramesh’s allegations, especially the original charge that he had handed over '10 crore.
"The day the vigilance court ordered further investigation, Biju Ramesh wanted me to concede by 7 pm my willingness to withdraw the defamation case. Krishnadas and Gokulam Gopalan also spoke to me for Biju in this regard. But I told them I was going ahead with the case," he said.
“Biju had not named me in his initial statements. Even in the CrPC 164 statement, Biju had not mentioned what he revealed now, about giving me Rs 1 core," said Mr Babu.
Mr Babu alleged a conspiracy had been hatched to malign him at the residence of an Opposition MLA in Thiruvananthapuram, which he once presented at a press conference- an incriminating audio recording.
But Mr Biju repeated the allegation. “Cameras at the Minister's office could be the evidence of bribe giving. I am ready to undergo lie test but Mr Babu also should take the test”, said Mr Ramesh, the working president of Kerala Bar Hotels Association.
Mr Ramesh asked the leader of the bar hotel association to disclose the status of Rs 23.5 cr out of Rs 25 cr collected by the association. Mr Ramesh alleged that Polakkulam Krishna Das and Elegance Benoy were privy to the entire details of the money collection.
He alleged Mr Babu had demanded '10 crore and the association collected nearly Rs 25 crore from bar owners in this connection, but only Rs 1 crore was given.
Months ago the Vigilance had conducted a quick verification and dropped further action on the grounds of insufficient evidence.
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