Vigilance asked to book KM Mani

Kochi: The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court on Wednesday ordered the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register a first information report against former finance minister K.M. Mani in connection with an allegation of corruption involving Rs 65 crore.

Vigilance Court judge P. Madhavan passed the order after Vigilance director Jacob Thomas filed a report before the court after conducting a quick verification based on a complaint by Kerala Congress (Nationalist) Noble Mathew.

It was alleged that Mr Mani favoured four poultry traders based in Thrissur who used to bring in chicken from other states.

The Vigilance director, who ordered quick verification into the allegation, decided to go ahead with the probe after the process and intimated the same to the court.

It is alleged that Mr Mani abused his official position by favouring a poultry group against the demand of penalty for tax evasion by staying the recovery proceedings amounting to Rs 65 crore.

It was also alleged that Mr Mani, as the finance minister, favoured manufacturers of Ayurvedic cosmetic products disregarding the objection by the finance department.

Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac had said the government would initiate an inquiry into the alleged tax evasion in the poultry trade which the LDF had raked up while it was in the Opposition.