Biju Ramesh objects to clean chit for K M Mani

Thiruvananthpuram: Bar owner Biju Ramesh has objected to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau's report giving clean chit to former finance minister K M Mani in the bar bribery case.While the case came up for hearing before the Inquiry Commission and Special Court (Vigilance) here on Monday, counsel for Biju Ramesh said that there was evidence for the bribery in the initial reports of the Vigilance itself and hence Mani should be prosecuted. He also pointed out that there were evidence of bar owners pooling money to bribe Mani.

Hence the investigation team should have at least tried to find out what happened to the money. He also said that it was for the court to go through the evidence and exonerate the accused.

The prosecution objected to the arguments pointing out that there was no evidences at all for the demand of bribe by Mani. Similarly there were no clear evidence for Mani accepting the bribe.

Meanwhile, the court has posted for hearing on Wednesday a plea by LDF convenor to implead in the case and file objection against the vigilance report. Though former LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan earlier filed objection, he had not filed objection now as he demitted the LDF convenor position. Hence his successor filed the objection petition.