New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday expressed its willingness to investigate the 2014 Bar Bribery case if the apex court issues a direction to this regard.

The CBI Kochi unit SP A Shiyas stated the same in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court.

The bar bribery case involves the alleged payment of bribes to politicians and government officials by bar owners in the state to grant licenses and permits to bars and liquor outlets.

The case is based on a revelation made by Biju Ramesh, President of Kerala Bar Hotel Owners Association, against the then Finance Minister K M Mani. The former had then claimed that a sum of Rs 5 crore was demanded to open 418 bars in the State.

A petitioner P L Jacob had moved the Supreme Court demanding a CBI inquiry into the allegations. The petition sought the role of former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, ex-ministers V S Sivakumar and K Babu, and Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani in the case.

The CBI has now submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court in connection with the petition.

The probe agency expressed its willingness to probe the case upon the direction of the court. The charge that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had stalled the probe against the then finance minister K M Mani still exists, the CBI stated in the affidavit.

In 2015, the Vigilance and anti-corruption bureau of Kerala filed a case against K M Mani and other officials involved in the scandal. Four years later, a special court acquitted Mani and others accused in the case, citing a lack of evidence. However, the verdict was widely criticized by opposition parties and various organizations.