KOTTAYAM: Giving a new turn to the bribery and amassment of wealth allegations against Finance Minister K M Mani, Kerala Congress chairman P C Thomas has demanded an investigation into the former’s connection with US-based Eric Shoes company.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, Thomas, who is also a former leader and MP of Kerala Congress (M) added that K M Mani and his son Jose K Mani should have been interrogated in the bar bribery issue much earlier.
“A comprehensive investigation must be conducted to ascertain if any political leaders in the state have any connection with Eric Shoes company, which has outlets in Washington, New York and other cities.
“A Tiruvalla-based man is heading the company, whose links should be investigated. The company has a manufacturing unit in Chennai as well.
“It is significant to correlate that some leaders had abruptly withdrawn from the Mullaperiyar protests, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa threatened to disclose the details of the political leaders, having business firms and lands in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Thomas also demanded a detailed inquiry into the allegation that Jose K Mani MP had sealed the deal in the bar bribery issue.
“Every minute detail in the bar bribery case can be brought to light through a detailed inquiry.
Unfortunately, when the bar owners came out with the allegations, the government turned them down asking them to produce evidences, instead of conducting an inquiry,” he said.
Thomas also asked the Congress leadership to disclose the names of the four Congress Ministers involved in the bar bribery allegations rather than painting all Congress Ministers in bad light. Thomas, who sought the formation of a permanent monitoring authority at the Centre and State to monitor the wealth of political leaders, added that he would conduct a ‘Kerala Yathra’ from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram against corruption from April 16 to May 4.