Kottayam: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau questioned Kerala Congress (M) chairman K.M. Mani on Uthradom day in the case related to giving tax reduction to ‘Super Pigments,’ a battery manufacturing unit at Chingavanam, while he was finance minister. The questioning was held at the government guest house at Nattakom which lasted for three-and-a-half hours. It was conducted by a team led by Mr S. Ashok Kumar, VACB Kottayam unit DySP. Mr Mani said in his statement that the government had not lost any money due to the tax exemption which was given as per the recommendation of the secretary of taxes and commercial taxes commissioner.
He had redressed a lapse that occurred in the law related to the Value Added Tax (VAT). He was questioned on the basis of the first information report filed by Mr Ashok Kumar saying that Mr Mani had caused a loss of Rs 1.66 crore to the state exchequer by giving tax reduction to ‘Super Pigments.’ Mr Benny Abraham, owner of ‘Super Pigments,’ an accused in the case, was also questioned by the VACB. The Vigilance had earlier given a questionnaire consisting of 11 questions to Mr Mani so as to avoid any confusion in getting the answers, Mr Ashok Kumar told DC. This was a precedent in similar cases, he said.
