THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance is likely to initiate a preliminary probe into the fresh allegations levelled by bar hotelier Biju Ramesh against Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani and some Congress leaders. Sources said a special vigilance team will undertake a quick verification into the allegations in the absence of a complaint or a directive from either the court or government.
However, a detailed probe will be conducted only after receiving a legal opinion, they said. Biju Ramesh on Monday alleged that he was offered `10 crore by Jose K Mani to settle the bar bribery scam and the bar owners had altogether given `20 crore to leaders and ministers of the previous UDF government to reduce the bar licence fees, including then KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, former excise minister K Babu and former health minister V S Sivakumar.
Biju Ramesh told mediapersons that Jose K Mani had threatened to eliminate him if he did not withdraw the complaint against his father and former finance minister K M Mani. When he did not relent, Jose offered him `10 crore.
LDF demands probe
T’Puram: The LDF has demanded a comprehensive probe into the revelations of Biju Ramesh. LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan said a probe into the corrupt dealings of former UDF ministers will bring out shocking facts. “Investigation should be carried out into revelations by Biju Ramesh that money collected from bar hotel owners was distributed to leaders including Ramesh Chennithala, as directed by K Babu. The statement that I1 crore was given to Chennithala’s office while I50 lakh was given to the office of K Babu and I25 lakh to V S Sivakumar’s house are serious. It shows that many such scams happened during the time of the previous UDF government,” he said.