Excise Minister K. Babu resigns

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister for Excise, Ports and Fisheries K. Babu resigned as Minister on Saturday.

The resignation follows directive by Thrissur Vigilance Court to register a case against Mr. Babu for allegedly taking bribes for reducing bar licence fees.

Announcing his decision to resign at a press conference in Ernakulam in the afternoon, the Minister said that no new report against him had come before the Vigilance Court. As of now, there was no case against him or first information report. However, he did not want to make technical excuses to stay in power. He was not resigning under pressure.

Mr. Babu said that leader of Bar Hotels Association Biju Ramesh had raised allegations against him as part of a conspiracy mooted at the House of V. Sivankutty, MLA,  in the presence of CPI (M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. The plan was to force resignation of Ministers. It was notable that people who had lost crores of rupees owing to change in abkari policy of the government were raising the allegations.

He observed that the directive of the Court was unusual. He would pursue legal course of action open to him.

Rejecting the prayer of Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau for another month to complete quick verification on the complaint against Mr. Babu earlier in the day, the Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge of the Court observed that the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau was not showing proper respect to the Court and was making excuses.  The Director of Bureau should register case a and complete investigation in one month. The investigation will be under the Court’s supervision.

The Court observed that the onus of collecting evidence rested with the government and not the petitioner. (As per a Supreme Court order, quick verification is to be completed in 45 days, failing which a case has to be registered.)

The petition was filed by social activist George Vattukulam who argued that delay in completing the verification would lead to undermining of the case.  The Court had asked the Bureau to complete the verification by January 23. However, the Bureau maintained that relevant files were with the Lok Ayukta and it needed time to obtain them and study the details.

Pressure had mounted on Mr. Babu following the Court directive with opposition leaders demanding his resignation and KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran observing that the Court directive was a very serious matter. The Muslim League also took a serious view of the matter.

Mr. Ramesh denied he was part of any conspiracy.