Kochi: Kerala's excise minister K Babu has resigned after a court directed vigilance and anti-corruption bureau to register case against him over alleged corruption charges in the bar bribery case. The vigilance court also ordered that the first report in the case should be filed by February 22.
Babu is the second minister in the UDF government after former finance minister KM Mani, to resign from the post following their alleged involvement in the bar bribery case.
Babu told newsmen that he had handed over the letter of resignation to the chief minister Oommen Chandy before he came to meet media. Babu has accused the CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan of playing dirty games in the bar bribery case episode. "Kodiyeri met 4-5 bar hotel owners on December 15 at the residence of CPM MLA Sivankutty in Thiruvananthapuram. Kodiyeri there asked the bar owners to raise allegations against more ministers," said Babu, explaining how his name popped up in the case. He said he would fight for justice and rights in the court. The court also ordered that a case be registered against Biju Ramesh, bar hotelier, who had levelled the bribery allegations against the minister.
Biju Ramesh, also the working president of Kerala Bar Owners Association, had alleged that £1 million was given to Babu for renewal of licences of liquor bars.
