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LDF government names special lawyer in bar bribery case

Besides, the law department had also opined that special prosecutors could not plead before the High court.

Kochi: The state government has made it clear that a special prosecutor was appointed to defend the bar bribery case against former finance minister K. M. Mani before the trial court and not the High Court. The High Court, meanwhile, asked the VACB to inform it of the steps taken by it to order a further investigation in the case. The government further submitted that the appointment was meant only for conducting the trial of the case in the trial court and that he was not expected to appear before courts at this stage.

The home department submitted an affidavit and made it clear that K.P. Satheesan, a lawyer, was appointed as the special prosecutor after obtaining an opinion from the director-general of prosecution. It was stated by the DGP that the appointment was for conducting the trial of the cases before the Vigilance Court. Besides, the law department had also opined that special prosecutors could not plead before the High court.

Meanwhile, the court asked the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau to inform it of the steps taken by it to order the bar bribery case. Meanwhile, investigation officer P.R. Sarish, inspector, VACB, Thiruvananthapuram, appeared before the court as per the court directive and submitted that he had filed the two statements at the orders of his superior officers. The court was considering a plea filed by Mani challenging the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court order allowing the VACB to conduct a further investigation into the allegation of the bar bribery case.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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