Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has given a clean chit to former finance minister K.M. Mani on the allegations pertaining to bribery in the appointments of government pleaders and postings in the Kerala State Financial Enterprises as well as in the conduct of a mass marriage. The VACB informed the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance) here on Wednesday that there was no evidence to proceed against Mr. Mani with regard to these allegations. However, the VACB's further probe into the bar bribery allegations is still progressing.
It was based on a private petition that the court ordered a preliminary inquiry into the allegations. The petitioner alleged that Mr Mani, who was also holding law portfolio in the previous UDF ministry, allegedly took a bribe of '10 lakh for government pleader postings.
Another allegation was that he collected a bribe of '3 lakh each for the postings in KSFE. The petitioner also alleged that a mass marriage organised in Kottayam on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of Kerala Congress was conducted using the Rs. 5 crore bribe collected by Mr.Mani from bar owners. VACB special investigation unit - I DySP Najmal Hussain submitted the report in the court stating that no evidence for the allegations could be gathered and hence the probe could not proceed.
