Bar bribery scam rocks Kerala Assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The bar bribery scam today rocked the Kerala assembly with the CPI(M)-led LDF opposition demanding re-investigation of the case, saying the vigilance report which gave a clean chit to Finance Minister K M Mani was a "farce".

The opposition members staged a sit-in protest in the House leading to the adjournment of the session.

CPI(M) veteran V S Achutanandan, on whose complaint the case was registered, made it clear that the opposition would continue its agitation inside and outside the House to expose the UDF government's "corruption".

The nonagenarian leader also demanded re-investigation as the probe by the Vigilance Department was a "farce".

After trooping into the well, some of the protesting members squatted on the floor, while some others stood with a banner demanding Mani's resignation. Some opposition members tore off some documents in their hands and threw it in the House.

Speaker N Sakthan repeatedly asked the members to abstain from creating a scene and return to their seats after which he rushed through other business of the day.

Replying to the notice, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government was unable to go into the merit of the report as the matter was subjudice and pending before the court.

"The Vigilance has conducted a fair and impartial inquiry into the case. The agency filed its final report after a detailed investigation of seven months by eliciting evidence from various persons directly or indirectly involved in the issue," he said, adding, "let the court decide on the matter."

On the Opposition's charge that the Vigilance inqiry was a mere "farce", he said the probe was conducted in a scientific manner including using polygraph tests.

The minister said it was a usual practice for investigating agencies to seek legal advise before filing a final report and it was not to help Mani.