The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has toughened its stance on the bar bribery allegations levelled against the Pinarayi Vijayan government.
UDF convener MM Hassan on Saturday demanded the government to order a judicial probe into the alleged bar bribery row in the state.
Speaking to media persons here, Hassan said that only a judicial probe, not the inquiry conducted by the Crime Branch, would unearth the truth behind the audio clip.
“Crime branch investigation will not bring out the real facts behind the bar bribery. The UDF is demanding the government to order a judicial probe into the allegations to bring out the truth behind the bribery charges,” Hassan said.
He alleged that Excise Minister MB Rajesh and Tourism Minister Muhammad Riaz are involved in the bar bribery and demanded the resignation of both these ministers.
The UDF convener further said that the bribe collection from bar owners cannot happen without the approval and knowledge of the Chief Minister.
The bar bribery allegation made headlines when an audio clip, purportedly sent by an office bearer of the Federation of Kerala Bar Association, a collective body of bar owners, found its way to the media in which the leader was heard saying that each bar owners need to pay Rs 2.5 lakh to fulfil their demands such as the scrapping of the dry day policy and extending bar working hours from 11 pm to 12 pm. These suggestions are already being discussed by the state government ahead of formulating its new liquor policy for the year.
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has initiated a preliminary investigation into the controversial issue surrounding the voice recording of the leader of the bar owners’ organisation demanding payment of Rs 25 crore for relaxation in the liquor policy. Excise Minister MB Rajesh had on Friday lodged a complaint with the DGP, alleging a conspiracy behind the audio recording.
Following the emergence of the audio clip and the subsequent bar bribery allegations, the LDF government might reconsider its proposed plan to relax regulations on liquor bars. The move of scrapping of the dry day policy and extending bar working hours from 11 pm to 12 pm could be put on hold. Both the government and the CPI-M are worried that any concessions to bars amid the controversy will help the opposition to state that there is substance in the bribery allegations.