The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Wednesday recorded the statement of Kerala Bar Hotels Association working president Biju Ramesh in connection with the preliminary inquiry into the allegation of corruption against Excise Minister K. Babu
A vigilance team, led by Deputy Superintendent M.N. Ramesh, recorded his statements in two sessions between 12.15 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. Mr. Ramesh told the sleuths that he had visited the office of the Excise Minister at the Secretariat twice in April and May last year and handed over Rs.50 lakh as bribe for rolling back the proposed hike in annual licence fee for bars. The money was handed over in the presence of one Muhammad Rafeeq, vice president of the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He further submitted that Suresh Pai, personal secretary of the Excise Minister, collected the money on behalf of the Minister and placed it in his official vehicle.
Talking to the media, while coming out of the vigilance office, Mr. Ramesh said, “A detailed statement of the whole episode has been given and I have also offered to provide the documents to back my statements.”
