Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday dismissed graft allegations levelled against state Finance Minister K M Mani by the working president of Kerala Hotels and Bar Association, Biju Ramesh.
"Biju Ramesh has not said anything to me about this matter. He has never met me. Even if he met me, he must reveal who else was there and the place of meeting. This is a very unfortunate matter. K. M. Mani is a respected man and Kerala people also know that. He has been part of politics and a lawmaker for the past 50 years," said Chandy claiming the charges are part of a conspiracy to sabotage his image.
Ramesh has accused Mani, who heads the Kerala Congress (Mani), a key ally of the Chandy government, of reportedly seeking a bribe of Rs. 5 crore from him, of which an amount of Rs.1crore has already been given.
Earlier on Friday, a Kerala High Court division bench stayed for a month a previous directive ordering the closure of 250 two and three star bars in the state, thus providing relief to the owners.
The bench further stated that a detailed hearing on the matter would take place next week, after which a final decision would take place.
The court had on Thursday allowed only four star and heritage hotels to serve liquor, apart from the five star hotels which had not come under the new policy passed by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. The Kerala Bar Association had challenged this judgment, calling it discriminatory.
In August, Chandy cancelled the permits of bars across the state, adding that only five star hotels would be allowed to serve alcohol. This move prompted bar associations to file a PIL against the new policy.