KOCHI: State vigilance has informed the High Court that they are ready for further investigation in connection with the bar scam. The report was made on the petition lodged by K M Mani seeking to acquit him in the case. However, V S Achuthanandan has sought further investigation in the case.

V S has also demanded to dismiss K M Mani’s request to acquit him in the case. Earlier, vigilance had submitted three reports acquitting K M Mani in bar scam case. However, the court had dismissed all three reports. Meantime, vigilance has clarified that the investigation was impartial and transparent.

V S Achuthanandan approached Supreme Court on the backdrops of the vigilance court verdict to seek permission to continue further investigation in the bar scam case. The case pertains to the allegation by Kerala State Bar Hotel Owners' Association that it had paid Rs one crore as bribe to Mani for getting a favourable decision to reopen closed liquor bars in 2013-14.

The graft charge was raised by the association's working president Biju Ramesh, who had alleged that Mani had demanded Rs five crore as bribe and accepted Rs one crore for reopening around 400 closed foreign liquor bars.

The bar bribery case had rocked the previous Congress-led UDF government headed by Oommen Chandy. Mani resigned as state finance minister in November 2015 following an observation by the Kerala High Court in the case.