Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has officially sought the approval of the Speaker for the Vigilance department to investigate on the allegations against Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala in connection with the bar bribery case.
The file seeking approval in the matter has been sent to the Speaker’s Office and is awaiting a decision from him.
The Government officially wrote to the Speaker after getting legal advice on whether the Governor’s nod was required to further investigate the case as the Opposition leader holds a cabinet rank. According to the legal advice, the State Governor’s approval is not necessary to investigate Ramesh Chennithala as he was only a legislator at the time of the alleged incident of receiving Rs 1 Crore bribe.
Also read: Probe Against Chennithala: Legal advice says Governor’s approval not required
As he was the MLA then, the Speaker’s approval is only needed for the Government to let the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) investigate him, according to the legal opinion the Government received. However, as K Babu and V S Shivakumar were ministers, Governor’s nod is required to investigate them.
Biju Ramesh, a bar owner, had earlier revealed that during the period of the previous UDF Government in the State, a bribe of Rs 1 crore was handed over to Ramesh Chennithala, besides giving Rs 50 lakh to K Babu and Rs 25 lakh to V S Shivakumar. The bribe was given out of the money pooled in by the bar owners in order to reduce the Bar licence fee, according to Biju Ramesh’s statement.
A preliminary round of investigation was carried out by the VACB in the bar bribery case. The department had sought the Government’s nod in registering a case against Chennithala, who is presently the Opposition leader.
