THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The bar bribery case which shook Kerala politics appears to be resurfacing with bar owner Biju Ramesh raising fresh allegations against opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, former ministers K Babu and VS Sivakumar. If the bar bribery turns into a case, then it will be used by the Left Democratic Front as a weapon in the upcoming local body and assembly elections.

With a lawyer from Alappuzha lodging a complaint to the Chief Minister seeking a probe into the new revelations and the Left Front giving nod to the probe, it has become clear that the Vigilance will investigate the bribery case yet again. The complaint received by the Chief Minister has been handed over to Vigilance. According to the amendment to the Anti-Corruption Act passed by the Parliament, the permission of the superior official is required to register cases and investigations against the Chief Minister, Ministers, other people's representatives and officials. All complaints and information received should be forwarded to the government. The Home Department should check and make a recommendation to the Chief Minister. A case can be registered only with the permission of the government.

Biju Ramesh had alleged that the bar hotel owners had collected and paid bribes to at least three prominent Congress leaders other than the then Finance Minister K M Mani to open their businesses.

He claimed that during the UDF governments tenure, bar owners had raised Rs 20 crore, of which some amount was allegedly given to the then health minister V S Sivakumar and to the KPCC office of Chennithala, to reduce the bar licence fees.

"My manager Radhakrishnan and Bar Association secretary Santhosh and I had gone together to the house of V S Sivakumar to give Rs 25 lakh. We also went to KPCC president Ramesh Chennithalas office and gave Rs one crore.

In all, Rs two crore was given to KPCC," Biju Ramesh alleged in a TV interview.