Congress leader suspects government got it wrong

Kochi: Giving credence to the conspiracy theory the Kerala Congress is levelling in the bar bribery case, a senior Congress leader said the government could have bought time and saved Kerala Congress leader K. M. Mani from further strictures by desisting from going in appeal against the vigilance case verdict.

“The vigilance court had ordered further investigation and the government could have used it as an opportunity," the Congress leader with legal background told Deccan Chronicle.
“The government could have ensured that the investigation lasted six months by which time elections would be declared."

If the party could prevail on Mr Mani not to contest the election, it would have saved one of the tallest leaders of Kerala's politics from the huge embarrassment of resigning on corruption charge.

“This idea was communicated to the advocate-general also, but the government in its wisdom chose to go in appeal," the leader said. "This now looks like the state government had asked for strictures."

Mr Mani also failed to foresee the danger and instead thought of getting some relief from the High Court, the leader said. “I doubt if the then law minister got the right legal inputs in the case," the leader said.

The Vigilance court was right in noting the prima facie evidence against Mr Mani in the judgment because he wanted the investigation not to get derailed at any point in time. “But some of the references in the High Court judgment were unwarranted as the court is not asked to comment on what people would think," the leader said.

Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.