Kerala Finance Minister >K.M. Mani’s resignation over the bar bribery allegations brings to a partial end a major scandal that has rocked the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government for over a year now. On principle, Mr. Mani should have stepped down when the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) launched an investigation into the allegation that he had taken a bribe from bar hotel owners to facilitate reopening of bars shut down as part of the State government’s policy to reduce liquor consumption. However, despite rising public outrage, Mr. Mani, a veteran with over five decades in public life, chose to dig his heels in. He gave in on Tuesday after a single judge of the Kerala High Court, while disposing of a writ petition related to the >bribery row , observed that “it is quite natural for the common man to entertain a feeling that there cannot be a proper investigation when the accused against whom fingers are being pointed is continuing as a Minister”. The court, inter alia , reminded Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his government of the Shakespearean dictum, “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion”. Lack of political will in speedily getting Mr. Mani’s resignation, so that there could be a free and fair investigation, has already proved to be costly, and it is seen to be part of the reason for the setback the UDF suffered in the recent local government elections. In fact, even after the court made its mind known, Mr. Mani’s immediate attempt was to buy time. As the drama unfolded in the full glare of television cameras, he took the UDF dispensation almost to the precipice. That he ultimately did not succeed is only because of the deep divisions in his own party, the Kerala Congress (M).
Public memory might be proverbially short, but given how the episode has unfolded over the past year, with the Oommen Chandy government failing to convincingly respond to public interrogation, the political damage to the UDF could be lastingly significant. The way the bribery allegations were handled and the VACB dragged into the mess, hurting its institutional credibility, has no parallels in the State’s political and administrative history. The Mani episode represented the abdication of the “above suspicion” norm in public life. On Mr. Mani specifically, the UDF government may have weathered what has clearly been the worst crisis of its four-and-a-half years of tenuous existence with a wafer-thin majority. Since Mr. Mani is unwelcome in the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), and the Bharatiya Janata Party has still not acquired the critical mass to attract him, the UDF may not have to worry about him now. But that could be small consolation, with elections to the State Assembly less than six months away.
Main events in Bar bribery case
31
October 2014
Kerala Bar Hotel Owners Association working president Biju Ramesh comes out with allegation that Mani had demanded a bribe of Rs 5 crore and accepted Rs 1 crore for the renewal of bar licences in April 2014.
10
December 2014
State Vigilance and Anti—Corruption Bureau registers an FIR against Mani and begins probe on a complaint filed by CPI(M) veteran and state Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan based on the allegations of Ramesh.
13
March 2015
State Assembly witnesses unprecedented chaos when CPI(M)—led LDF Opposition members tries to prevent Mani from presenting the state budget for 2015—16.
30
March 2015
Ramesh gives statement before the court against Mani in the case.
22
April 2015
CPI(M) led LDF opposition holds march to state secretariat as part of its agitation demanding resignation of Mani.
18
May 2015
Bar bribery case witness and Ramesh’s driver, Ambili, undergoes polygraph test.
24
May 2015
Test results indicate that Ambili’s statement that he saw Mani accepting bribe is true.
3
June 2015
Investigating Office Vigilance Superintendent R Sukesh submits ‘quick verification report’ to Vigilance Director Vinson M Paul stating that there was evidence to take case against Mani. The Director disagrees with the report.
7
July 2015
Investigating Officer submits a final report before special court seeking closure of the case.
28
July 2015
Vigilance submits all materials related to the case in court.
6
October 2015
Special Vigilance Court reserves final verdict after completion of hearing.
29
October 2015
Vigilance Court quashes final report of Vigilance to close the case and orders further probe into it.
6
November 2015
Kerala High Court refuses interim stay on Special Vigilance Court order for further probe.
9
November 2015
High Court upholds vigilance court order for further probe.
