THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance team inquiring into the bar bribery case on Saturday recorded the statement of Excise Minister K Babu. The statements were recorded by a team under Ernakulam unit DySP M N Ramesh at Babu’s Thrippunnithura house on Thursday noon.
Meanwhile, the minister dismissed the allegations and said Bar Association Working President Biju Ramesh was making allegations against him due to personal animosity.
Biju had given his secret statement to the magistrate that Babu had paid a bribe of Rs 10 crore for not increasing the licence fee of bar owners. Following this, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had ordered quick verification against Babu.
Biju had given the statement that in the pre-budget meeting, Babu talked about raising the Bar licence fee to Rs 30 lakh from Rs 22 lakh.
Though Bar Association representatives had asked the minister not to hike the fee, the minister didn’t give in to their demand. Later, Babu allegedly held discussion with Bar owners in the absence of officials and demanded a bribe of Rs 10 crore.
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