THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Lending a big blow to Kerala Congress (M) chief and former Finance Minister K M Mani, the Vigilance Court here has dismissed the report filed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau that gave clean chit to the embattled Pala strongman in the infamous bar bribery scam. The order has paved way to a new Vigilance probe that would be initiated after getting the government nod as laid down by Prevention of Corruption (Amendment Act).
The Vigilance investigation team in March had filed the report whitewashing Mani's role. The anti-graft body had maintained that there was not a shred of evidence that could prove the corruption allegation against the 85-year-old Kerala Congress patriarch.
However, former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, BJP MP V Muraleedharan and bar owner Biju Ramesh filed a petitions seeking dismissal of the report. It was on the basis of these that the court has now nullified the report. Meanwhile, Mani welcomed the court decision and said his fight for justice will continue.