Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has said that he will approach court if Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) Director Vinson M. Paul accepts the legal advice that there is no ground to file charge-sheet against Finance Minister K.M. Mani in the bar bribery case.
“I would take the lead to initiate legal measures if the Vigilance Director supports the move to scuttle the case,” Mr. Achuthanandan said in a statement here on Saturday.
Political pressure
The Vigilance Director should submit the findings of the team that had investigated the bar bribery charges before the court of law rather than ‘succumb to political pressure’ from the government and approve the decision of Additional Director General of Police (Vigilance) Sheikh Darvesh Sahib not to proceed with filing of charge-sheet against Mr. Mani based on legal advice given by VACB legal adviser C.C. Augustine and Advocate General K.P. Dandapani, he said.
The Opposition leader claimed that the recommendation of the investigating officer was that a case should be registered with Mr. Mani as first accused.
Government flayed
The government had obtained legal advice to subvert this.
Mr. Dandapani had appeared before the Kerala High Court against the Vigilance court’s refusal of permission to withdraw the palmolein import case.
The High Court had come up with strong criticism about Mr. Augustine when considering this case.
The High Court’s criticism was applicable to the Advocate General as well.
The attempt to ‘scuttle’ the bar bribery case was being made by the same set of people and reports suggested that the ADGP (Vigilance) had decided to go by their advice, Mr. Achuthanandan said.
