Biju Ramesh tries to topple Govt - K. BabuTop Stories

April 01, 2015 11:30
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Rubbishing bribery allegations levelled against him by bar hotelier Biju Ramesh as “baseless” and “borne out of personal vendetta”, Excise Minister K Babu told a news conference here on Tuesday that the charges were part of a conspiracy involving the Opposition to topple the UDF Government.

 For buttressing his claim, the Minister played an audio recording in which Biju Ramesh purportedly spoke about unseating the government. The Minister claimed that some LDF leaders held talks with Biju Ramesh at a CPM MLA’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram on December 15 last year.

“The Left leaders promised Biju that his bar hotels, which were closed down, could be reopened if he helped them topple the UDF Government. The LDF leaders also asked him to level charges against UDF leaders other than K M Mani,” Babu said.

Alleging that Biju was a “pawn in the hands of the Opposition”, the Excise Minister said he will send a legal notice to the bar hotelier for defamation.

“Babu claimed that Biju raised the bribery allegation after seven bar hotels owned by him were closed down in the wake of a government decision to shut down sub-standard bars.

On Tuesday, Biju, who is the working president of Kerala Bar Hotels’ Association, revealed that he had named three Ministers, including K Babu, apart from K M Mani, before the court which recorded his confidential statement in the bar bribe case.

“I am not running away from allegations. I am ready for any probe, provided that the allegation is specific. The charges should be backed by independent witnesses. Let some responsible persons back the claim,” Babu said.

When asked who he meant “responsible persons”, Babu said that other representatives of Kerala Bar Hotels’ Association should come forward and back Biju’s claim.

The Excise Minister asked why Biju did not name him earlier if he had demanded bribe from bar owners. “Biju has alleged that I demanded Rs 10 crore as bribe. He should explain when and where I raised the demand,” the Excise Minister said.

Probe Sought against K Babu

CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan has demanded a probe into the allegations against Excise Minister K Babu after removing him from the post in the wake of the recent disclosures made by Kerala Bar Hotel Association leader Biju Ramesh in the bar bribery case. Pinarayi Vijayan demanded that the State government order an impartial investigation into the allegation that two more Congress ministers were involved in the scandal.

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