An Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, called on Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam, urging him to initiate steps for Finance Minister K.M. Mani's removal from the State Cabinet in the light of the Vigilance Court's order last week >for a re-investigation into the bar bribery charges against him.
Emerging from the meeting at the Raj Bhavan, Mr. Achuthanandan told reporters that the delegation had submitted to the Governor a copy of the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court's judgment. The allegation against Mr. Mani is that he had accepted Rs. 25 lakh from bar owners to help reopen closed bars.
‘Governor promised action’
Mr. Achuthanandan said the Governor had assured the delegation of prompt action in the matter. The Oppositon, he said, would pursue the matter and plan its future course of action after seeing what action the Governor takes in the matter. "We are not going to sitting quiet after submitting these papers. We will certainly think of other options," the Opposition Leader said in response to questions from reporters.
The Vigilance Court had order the re-investigation last week after rejecting the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau's affidavit seeking closure of the case. The then VACB director Vinson M. Paul had sought closure of the case after rejecting the report submitted by R. Sukesan, SP (Vigilance) who had found that there was sufficient ground to continue with the investigation against Mr. Mani.
The Court, which came down heavily on the rejection of the investigating officer's report, had asked the VACB authorities to entrust the re-investigation with Mr. Sukesan. Mr. Paul had stepped down as VACB director following the Vigilance Court's order.
