Bar bribery case: Governor's nod for probe against Chennithala awaited

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan is unlikely to take an immediate decision on giving the nod for an investigation against opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala in the bar bribery case. The decision will be conveyed to the state government only after checking all legal aspects.

The government is seeking the Governor's permission as Chennithala is the opposition leader with the cabinet rank.

However, another point raised in government circles is that Chennithala was the KPCC president when the bar bribery allegations were raised, and hence the Governor's nod was not needed. Also, that he did not have the cabinet rank then.

Some senior officials at the Raj Bhavan have orally informed this to the government, according to sources.

The Vigilance investigation is based on liquor baron Biju Ramesh's disclosure that he had paid bribes to Chennithala and two other Congress leaders.

On Friday, Chief Minister gave nod for a Vigilance probe against Ramesh Chennithala, former ministers V S Sivakumar and K Babu.

Referring to the Vigilance probe being ordered against him, Chennithala said he was prepared to face any probe in the bar bribery case.

"The present probe has been ordered based on Biju Ramesh's old claims. The government need not think that it will be able to silence me by registering a case," he said, adding that "the case was not only politically motivated but had also been rejected twice earlier."

The opposition leader alleged that it was proved earlier that the voice said to be that of Biju Ramesh was fake.

The liquor baron had claimed that during the tenure of previous United Democratic Front Government, he had mobilised Rs 10 crore on the instruction of the then excise minister K Babu. Of this Rs Rs 1 crore was given to Chennithala in his office at the KPCC headquarters, Rs 50 lakh to Babu and Rs 25 lakh to Sivakumar through his private assistant.

The bribe was paid to ensure that the government’s policies, whenever they are framed, would not affect the bar owners adversely.

The Vigilance carried out a quick confidential verification of the revelations made by the bar owner and handed over the file to the government seeking permission for a preliminary probe.