Govt to seek explanation from official who hailed bar verdict

Kerala government today decided to seek explanation from a senior IPS official who "hailed" the special Vigilance court verdict for further probe into the bar bribery case in which an FIR has been registered against Finance Minister K M Mani.
Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson said Jacob Thomas, Managing Director of Police Housing Construction Corporation, has "breached the 'lakshman rekha' of government officials" with his remarks on yesterday's court verdict on bar bribery scam.
"There is no need for an official to make comment on a court verdict. What Jacob Thomas did is totally wrong from the side of an official," Jiji Thomson told PTI.

"I will be seeking explanation from Thomas as he has crossed the 'lakshman rekha' of government officials," he said.
Thomas had earlier handled the bar bribery case as the then Vigilance Additional Director before being posted to the Fire and Rescue services. He was shifted from that post also recently after he made some critical comments to the media without prior permission.
Triggering another controversy, Thomas today said that "truth has won" in the bar case through yesterday's verdict. He also questioned the directive of the government that officials should not talk to media.
In a blow to ruling Congress-led UDF in Kerala, a special Vigilance Court here ordered further probe into the bar bribery case, rejecting the investigating agency's final report seeking closure of the case.

The bar bribery scam relates to the allegation that Mani had demanded Rs 5 crore as bribe and accepted Rs 1 crore from bar hotel owners for the renewal of bar licences last year. The allegation was levelled by Kerala Bar Hotel Owners' Association Working President Biju Ramesh.