The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Wednesday received fresh legal advice that a criminal inquiry might be necessary to establish the truth in what has come to be known as the ‘bar hotel licence renewal pay-off case.’
The VACB legal adviser attached to the special court in Thiruvananthapuram is learnt to have communicated the recommendation to the agency’s investigating officer. VACB director Vinson M. Paul is likely to take a call on the matter in a few days, possibly after further consultations with legal experts and the government. The agency is conducting a verification of the contentious and politically explosive allegation that Finance Minister K.M. Mani had sought and accepted a secret pay-off from businessmen to renew the permits of bar hotels closed in April this year on the ground that they were substandard and barely met licence conditions.
It has recorded the statements of several persons, including Kerala Bar Hotels’ Association (KBHA) working president Biju Ramesh who claimed that he was privy to the alleged pay-off purportedly made to the Minister at his private residence. Some hoteliers who Mr. Biju claimed were present at the time have not yet heeded the agency's summons.
