Thiruvananthapuram: The bar bribe scam rocked the Kerala Assembly on Monday, too, after the Opposition Left Front moved an adjournment motion on the floor of the House. The Opposition alleged that the government is trying to sabotage the inquiry in the bar bribe scam against Finance Minister KM Mani under political pressure.
Replying to the notice for the motion, sought to be moved by the the CPI(M)-led LDF, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithakla said that the Vigilance Director will submit a report to the Vigilance Court and the decision will be taken by the court. He also claimed that he has not interfered in the enquiry and added that he faced tremendous pressure from the Congress and UDF in the case.
However, the Opposition questioned the Home Minister over the kind of pressure that he was facing and also asked him to name the people who have put him under pressure. The Home Minister chose to stay silent on the issue.
After the minister's reply, Speaker N Sakthan disallowed the plea for the motion, leading to the LDF staging a walkout led by opposition leader VS Achuthanandan. Before staging the walkout, Achuthananandan said Opposition's apprehension that the case would be sabotaged has been proved now.
Vigilance had filed FIR against Mani on the basis of an allegation by Biju Ramesh, working president of Kerala Bar Hotel Owners Association, that the Finance Minister had demanded Rs five crore bribe as illegal gratification to facilitate the renewal of bar licenses and had received Rs one crore from the office bearers of the association between March 20 and April 2, 2014.
The full-fledged budget session of the state Assembly began on Monday after it was rescheduled in the wake of the June 27 Aruvikkara bypoll.
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