High Court issues first notice to ex-minister in bar case
Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani. (Photo: DC/File)
Kochi: Time has finally come for K.M. Mani to appear before a court of law over the bar bribery allegations after High Court issued notices to him on a plea challenging further investigation.
Though the former finance and law minister was a party in the case pending before the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court, it had not issued any notices warranting his appearance since he was an accused.
It criticised the Vigilance Director and ordered a further probe. When the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau challenged the adverse remarks made against its director before High Court, Justice Kemal Pasha had also refused to issue notices to Mr Mani.
Justice Pasha had also criticised him in the case that led to protest from Opposition and, subsequently, to his resignation.
After the resignation, his camp planned to challenge the remarks against him in the apex court but later dropped it.
“Mr Mani received a legal opinion that there is nothing wrong with moving the apex court but he opted not to challenge it fearing a backlash,” sources closer to him said.
Mr Mani after the trial court order had welcomed a further investigation and said that he had no objections to any probe.
Vigilance is investigating a complaint made by Opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan that Mr Mani accepted a bribe from bar owners for a favourable decision. According to legal sources, Mr Mani can decide whether to engage a lawyer or not.
“Appearance is not compulsory even if the court issues a notice. He can choose not to defend the case,” a top lawyer said.
The lawyer however added that if he opts not to appear he may find it hard to challenge the case if the court passes an adverse order.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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