'No evidence against Mani in liquor bribe'

The Kerala government today took a stand before the state high court that there was no clear evidence in the Rs 5 crore liquor bribe charges leveled against the state finance minister KM Mani.

Advocate General KP Dhandapani, who had submitted an interim report on the progress of the investigation to the division bench, today informed the court that the vigilance cell of the Kerala Police had so far interrogated 19 persons in the case and there was no clear cut evidence to register an FIR against Mani. He also said there were 13 more persons to be interrogated in the case and notices have been issued to them.

Speaking on the charges, Dhandapani said they were only rumours and media reports about the allegation. Meanwhile, the high court directed the vigilance department to complete the investigation quickly. The Kerala high court, last week, directed the government to submit a report on the progress of investigation in the case.

Earlier, Biju Ramesh, the working president of Kerala Bar Hotels Association alleged KM Mani had demanded Rs 5 crore in order to take a stand favourable to bar owners in the reopening of 418 bars which were closed for the last six months. Ramesh said Rs 1 crore amount was handed over to Mani as advance.

Based on this, VS Sunilkumar, a CPI MLA approached the high court seeking intervention of the court.

Speaking to reporters after a high-power committee meeting of Kerala Congress at Kottayam, Mani alleged there was a conspiracy behind the charges levelled by Biju Ramesh, and the opposition LDF's planned stir demanding his resignation had 'political motives'.

"A legal notice has been issued to him and let the reply come. My life is an open book", he added.