Bar Bribery Scandal : Kerala Excise Minister K Babu Resigns

23 January, Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala Excise Minister K. Babu Saturday resigned following a Vigilance Court ordering the Vigilance Department to register a case against him for his alleged involvement in the bar bribery licence case.

Announcing his decision to step down in Kochi this afternoon, the Minister said preliminary inquiry showed no evidence of his involvement in the bribery case.

The Court also asked Vigilance to register a case against bar owner Biju Ramesh saying that offering and taking bribe are punishable.

The report should be submitted within one month and the probe will be monitored by the Court. The Court criticised the Vigilance for lack of sincerity, truthfulness and commitment in the case.

Kerala Finance Minister K.M. Mani had resigned in November last in the wake of the Kerala High Court upholding a vigilance court order for further probe into his alleged involvement in the bar bribery case.