KOCHI: Kerala Excise minister K Babu quit the post after the vigilance court in Thrissur on Saturday asked the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register a case against him in the bar bribery scandal.
“Enquiry about me was ordered in a report that was not existing. There was no report against me in front of the court. But I am respecting the court verdict and wont cling to power”, he said while announcing his resignation in a press meet here about half an hour ago.
"The resignation letter was sent to the chief minister", Babu said. Acting upon on a public interest litigation which was filed based on the revelation that Babu had taken a bribe of Rs 50 lakh from bar owner Biju Ramesh to renew the liquor licence, the court asked the VACB to complete the probe in a month.
Babu is also holding Fisheries and Ports portfolios. Earlier the then finance minister K M Mani was also resigned owing to the High Court observation against him in the bar scandal.