THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday filed a petition before the special Vigilance court seeking its intervention in the allegation against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Excise Minister TP Ramakrishnan pertaining to the brewery challenge. The petition said the state government had allowed four companies illegally to engage in the liquor business in the state.
The court will consider the case on January 10. The petition said the government has not considered the amendment made to Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act while granting a licence to the companies. According to Chennithala, it was a corrupt deal and was done without following the mandatory procedures.
“I had to approach the court as my pleas to the government and Governor P Sathasivam failed to yield an outcome. My allegations were true as the government cancelled the licences later. After committing a robbery, if the robbed things are returned, the case is still remains,” said Chennithala.
As per a 1999 order, no new distillery or brewery can be allocated in the state. No government has given sanction to any distilleries after this order. But the present government is quoting the same order to issue licence to new brewery. Replying to queries, Ramakrishnan said both the Vigilance and the Governor had looked into the allegation and decided not to proceed citing no merit in it.