THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister K.M.Mani has denied the allegation that he had accepted funds from bar owners. He said so while being questioned by the Vigilance and Ant-Corruption Bureau (VACB).
The VACB recorded Mani’s statement at his official residence, ‘Prasanth’, inside the Cliff House compound here on Tuesday afternoon as part of a quick verification into the allegation that Mani had taken Rs 1 cr as bribe from bar owners.
Mani told the Vigilance team led by Southern-range SP M.Rajamohan and DySP S.Sureshkumar that several people used to call him over the bar issue.
They might have been representatives of the Bar Hotel Owners Association. But he couldn’t recollect all such informal meetings. He also reiterated that he had not taken any funds or donations for the party from anyone.
According to sources, the VACB is likely to report to HC soon saying it had not found enough evidence to prove that Mani had accepted bribe.
