Bar owners paid Rs 20 crto ministers, says Biju

KOCHI: Even as the UDF government is struggling to wriggle out of bribery charges against finance minister K M Mani, the Kerala Bar Owners' Association (KBOA) on Thursday alleged that its members had collectively paid Rs 20 crore to "many ministers in the last four years".
KBOA working president Biju Ramesh said that the bar hotel owners have "paid them (UDF ministers) Rs 20 crore in last four years".
"But they have orphaned us. If we expose all that we know, this ministry will fall," Biju Ramesh said at the meeting. Biju also claimed that he had more proof, some as powerful as dynamite, capable of destroying this ministry.
With this revelation, the unholy dealings that Kerala bar owners had engaged in with UDF leaders to keep their business running has been exposed. The expose will put the Oommen Chandy government in a tighter spot.
Other members of KBOA became incommunicado and ministers were not available for comment after Mathrubhumi News sting brought to public discussions among members at a private meeting.
"I feel relieved after slapping charges on Mani. It is for us to decide whether we should use Mani and survive this crisis or bring the government down," said Biju. He told the meeting that it was time for the bar owners to decide "whether we should bend or break this government".
Government is sending feelers through leaders including Vakkom Purushothoman to broker peace, he said. "But we can't trust them," Biju said adding that he was ready to face any probe including CBI investigation.
Earlier in the day, at a press conference, the association members said that many of the executive committee members had raised serious allegations against "many other persons". A five-member committee headed by the association general secretary M D Dhanesh will collect the documents regarding the allegations.
The association has pledged all support to Biju who raised allegations against Mani.
"Biju will appear before the vigilance department on Friday and produce proof to substantiate his allegations," said D Rajkumar, president, Kerala Bar Hotels Association.
"Executive committee members have raised serious allegations against some others as well. But we won't be able to reveal much as vigilance probe is on,'' he said.
Rajkumar said that Biju had documents to prove his charges. The executive committee was fully convinced with the documents Biju produced. The association will cooperate with the investigation, he said.
The association will give an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh each for the families of bar employees who committed suicide.
Meanwhile, chief minister Oommen Chandy and home minister Ramesh Chennithala held talks with advocate general K P Dhandapani at Aluva guest house. They are learnt to have sought the AG's opinion on the bar scam.