The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Thursday booked Minister for Finance, Law and Housing, K.M. Mani, in what has come to be known as the “bar licence renewal bribery case.”
In its First Information Report (FIR) filed in the Vigilance Court here, the VACB said the alleged offence against Mr. Mani was that he demanded “Rs. 5 crore as illegal gratification to facilitate the renewal of bar licences and obtained Rs. 1 crore from the office-bearers of the Kerala Bar Hotel Association (KBHA) during the period between March 20 and April 3, 2014.” The places of occurrence of the alleged crime were the Minister’s home in Pala and his official residence in the capital.
The FIR said Mr. Mani, a public servant, “abused his official position and thereby committed criminal misconduct” under sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The VACB had examined some of the hoteliers who allegedly contributed and subsequently “handed over the bribe money” to Mr. Mani. Some said they were present when the bribe was handed over. Others said they had contributed to the bribe amount knowing it was intended for the Minister. Another “relevant witness deposed” that he had witnessed the “handing over of the money” to Mr. Mani.
The FIR said the minutes of the KBHA meeting “bolster the allegations in this case.”
From the evidence collected so far, it appeared that the amount was handed over to the accused at his residence over three occasions, the FIR said.
