Poultry bribe: Proofs against Mani produced in court

KOCHI: The condition of former finance minister K M Mani has worsened after the vigilance produced proofs against him in the case of granting tax concessions to a poultry company, in the Kerala High Court.

The vigilance produced proofs along with an affidavit on Mani’s plea seeking cancellation of the case in connection with a tax exemption of Rs 64 crore imposed by the sales tax to Thomson Group, a poultry import company.

As only the chief minister has the right to impose fine in cases above 5 lakh, a stay was imposed on Mani’s order for a fine of 64 crore. He wrote in the file imposing a stay on the fine and later handed over the file to the revenue minister. The tehsildar in Mukundapuram having recovery charge was informed about the stay. The vigilance also produced this file in the court.

The FIR was registered against Mani on the complaint of advocate Noble Mathew, a BJP member and a former Kerala Congress member.

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