No evidence against K. Babu in bar bribery case: Vigilance

Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance team probing the bar bribery charges has submitted their report stating that cases cannot be filed against Excise Minister K. Babu as there is no evidence against him.

Vigilance SP K.M. Antony submitted the report to the director stating that a quick verification probe did not find any evidence against him.

KBHA working president Biju Ramesh, in a 30-page testimony, had alleged that K. Babu had received Rs.10 crore as bribe from bar owners to reduce the fee for renewal of bar licence. The minister, however, had refuted the allegations.

It was in October 2014 that Biju first revealed that Rs.1 crore was paid to Finance Minister K.M. Mani. The state government then ordered a quick verification by the vigilance department and it was followed by a case registered against Mani.

He then alleged that it was not only Mani who had taken bribes but there were other ministers also.