THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has ordered a Crime Branch probe into the suspected nexus of Vigilance SP R. Sukesan with bar owner Biju Ramesh in connection with the probe into the bar bribery investigation.
Vigilance director N. Shanker Reddy had recommended a probe after certain conversations of Biju Ramesh in a CD given as evidence in the bar bribery case contained conversations that raised suspicions over the credibility of Sukesan, who is heading the Special Investigation Unit I which is probing many high-profile corruption cases.
Vigilance sources said that apart from the audio conversations, there were also certain suspicions over the polygraph tests conducted on Biju Ramesh's driver Ambily who was a witness in the alleged bribery transaction.
It seemed that the questions of the polygraph test were framed in such a manner that Ambiliy only had to say 'Yes' in reply to all the questions.
A detailed probe by the Vigilance had even found contradictions in Ambiliy's statements, said sources.
The CD submitted by Biju Ramesh while giving the statement before a
magistrate court in connection with bar bribery case contained a
conversation of Biju Ramesh at a meeting of Kerala Bar Hotels Association in which he states that Sukesan had told him that he would file chargesheet in the case against K.M. Mani at any cost and could tighten the case against the government.
Biju also says that it was as per Sukesan's advice that he told the media that more ministers were bribed.
