Court chides CM, others for backing Mani
Kerala K M Mani
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Saturday took Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other ministers to task for their repeated statements exonerating their former ministerial colleague K M Mani in the bar bribery case and orally suggested that an investigation by an agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation would be in order.
One cannot expect a fair probe into the allegations as long as the same ministers control the investigating agency, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, the court said. The court also called for the entire records in the case.
The court said that it “expects that the officers investigating this case and their superior authorities will show restraint in expressing comments openly on the merits of the case.
If any such authority feels that he had already made comments on the merits of the case, the authority is free to file affidavit before the court through the Advocate-General stating the circumstance which the merit of the case was discussed or opined."
Justice Sudheendra Kumar was considering a criminal revision petition filed by Sunny Mathew of Arakkulam, Idukki seeking to set aside an order of Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Special Court directing VACB to further investigate the allegation by Kerala Bar Hotel Owners Association working president Biju Ramesh that Mr Mani had received kickbacks for not raising the annual license fee for bars. The court also issued notice to Mani.
“It will be desirable to have an investigation by another agency like CBI,” the court orally observed, and made a reference to Justice Kemal Pasha’s criticism of Mr Mani’s continuance in office even as the VACB was investigating the case. Mr Mani resigned after the court made the reference.
During the course of arguments advocate-general K.P. Dandapani opposed CBI probe and sought time for further hearing. The court posted the case after lunch break. In the afternoon session the court admitted the plea and issued notices to all respondents including Mr Mani, opposition leader VS Achuthan-andan, Mr Ramesh and BJP state president V. Muraleedharan.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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