Plus two bribery case against KM Shaji: SC upholds HC verdict, junks Kerala govt's appeal

Thiruvananthapuram: In a setback to the Kerala government and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday upheld the High Court order quashing proceedings against ex-MLA K M Shaji in plus two bribery case. The apex court also dismissed the appeals moved by the Kerala government and ED after observing that there was no evidence to prove charges against Shaji. The government moved the appeal against the HC order quashing the vigilance case against Shaji, while ED approached for dismissing charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. 

It was in June 2023, a single bench of Justice PV Kunhikrishnan passed the order quashing the proceedings against the IUML MLA under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. In April 2023, another single bench had quashed the FIR registered against Shaji by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau stating that there was no allegation of any demand made by the Petitioner.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau registered the case against Shaji in 2020. As per the case, the Muslim League leader had accepted a bribe of Rs 25 lakh to obtain approval for the higher secondary batch in Azhikode school in 2013. The case was registered over a complaint filed by CPM leader Kuduvan Padmanabhan who was the former president of the Kannur block panchayat. Later, ED initiated proceedings against Shaji under PMLA. The Enforcement Directorate claimed that Shaji constructed a house by utilising the bribe.