Mani rejects corruption allegations over tax relaxation

Kottayam: Kerala Congress (M) supremo K M Mani has rejected corruption allegations over tax relaxation given to a private company while he was the Finance Minister in the previous UDF regime.

“I did not give tax relaxation to any company singlehandedly. All such decisions were passed with the approval of the Cabinet. The Finance Minister does not have the personal power wither to impose tax or give relaxation,” Mani said here while reacting to Vigilance’s case against him for abusing his power as Finance Minister by giving tax relaxation to a lead oxide manufacturing company in Kottayam.

In more trouble for the Kerala Congress (M) leader, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption department registered a case against Mani in Kottayam in connection with the case.

Besides Mani, owner of the lead oxide manufacturing company in Kottayam Benny Abraham was also booked by Vigilance DySP Ashok Kumar, who conducted a preliminary enquiry into a complaint.

Complainant George C Kappen, a social activist from Manis hometown Pala, had given a complaint to the Vigilance Director in this regard last year. It was alleged that the Treasury incurred a loss of Rs 1.66 crore due to the tax relaxation.