Thiruvananthapuram: A vigilance court here rejected a probe report absolving KM Mani, Kerala Congress (M) chairman and former finance minister, in a bribery case. The court directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to take permission from the government to reopen the case and reinvestigate it.
The VACB had given clean chit to Mani saying that there was no evidence to prove that he accepted a bribe from the bar owners allowing them to reopen the bars.
An FIR was filed against Mani based on a complaint by Biju Ramesh, a bar owner. However, the VACB had maintatined that the case would not stand as there was no substantial evidence against him.
Former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, Biju Ramesh, Left Democratic Front Convener A Vijayaraghavan and BJP leader V Muraleedharan had been asking for either a reinvestigation into the case or the court to take suo motu cognisance of the case. It was on the basis of these that the court has now nullified the report.
Reacting to the court ruling, Mani welcomed the court decision and said his fight for justice will continue.