A court here yesterday ordered re-investigation into the allegations of bribe-taking against former finance minister KM Mani, which the police had earlier closed for lack of evidence.
Director General of Police (Vigilance) Jacob Thomas said the Vigilance and Anti- Corruption Bureau (VACB) would now constitute a new investigation by a new special team (SIT) under a deputy superintendent of police (DySP).
“There were (political) hurdles when we conducted the probe in 2014. Now they have been removed,” he said.
“The investigation was not complete then. Now, there will be a thorough probe using scientific methods. The VACB is no more a caged parrot.”
The allegation was that Mani, who was also holding the portfolio of law, took money from the hoteliers promising to renew their licenses to serve liquor in 418 hotels closed earlier for poor standards.
But he allegedly failed to keep his word as Chief Minister Oommen Chandy ordered the closure of all the 730 liquor bars below five-star category as part of the Congress-led government’s policy of phased prohibition.
Observers attach much significance to the new development as Mani had quit the United Democratic Front (UDF) that the Congress party leads in Kerala alleging a conspiracy to finish him and his party off.
Both the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) which leads the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were wooing him to weaken the Congress party further.
“Let the law take its course,” said V M Sudheeran, the Congress party’s president in the state.
“But you should remember that the new development (the investigating officer telling the court that he had to change his report under duress) comes after Mani rejected the CPI-M’s overtures.”
The CPI-M had, as a first step, invited Mani to join its strike on Friday against the federal government.
“This officer was frequently contradicting his reports,” said Mani, the longest serving legislator who holds the record of presenting highest number of annual budgets as finance minister, both in the Congress and Communist-led governments.
“Thomas too nurses a grudge against me for endorsing (as finance minister) a corruption probe against him. But I was expecting more for the political position (not aligning with anybody) I have taken now.”
Mani was forced to resign following the scam and an open court comment by a High Court judge that Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion.
Before that, the opposition leaders had also laid a siege to the state assembly and ransacked its podium demanding his resignation.
“None can think that Kerala Congress (M) can be destroyed by another probe by this kind of conspiracy and cheating. We will come out strongly,” he told reporters in Kottayam.
“Sukeshan has now stated that he had changed his version earlier due to pressure from senior officers. Now the same official has filed a petition seeking further probe. He is an officer without conscience.
“A person arrayed as an accused is presumed to be innocent until the charges are proved.”
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, refused to react.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) R Sukeshan, identified as being close to Thomas, filed the petition seeking further probe in which he accused Thomas’s predecessor Sankar Reddy tampering the case diary.
Sukeshan had investigated the case twice based on a court order and submitted a report giving a clean chit to Mani, following which then Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan challenged it pending disposal.
Mani’s Kerala Congress (M) had alleged that the case was a result of “conspiracy” by a section of Congress leaders who feared he would rock the UDF boat and form an alternative government with the Communist support.
Opposition Leader and former home minister Ramesh Chennithala said during his tenure, he had never interfered with the VACB probe.
“I have not interfered in either the bar case or any other case,” he told reporters in Alappuzha.