NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has a sent notice to Muslim League state secretary and former MLA K M Shaji in the plus two bribery case. The Supreme Court has directed Shaji to respond to the notice within six weeks. The Supreme Court sent the notice accepting the appeal filed by the state government against the High Court verdict in the bribery case against K M Shaji.

The government approached the Supreme Court questioning the order cancelling the further proceedings against Shaji in the vigilance case. The case was related to K M Shaji accepting a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from the school management to allow Plus Two in Azhikode High School in Kannur district.

In 2020, a vigilance case was registered on the complaint that K M Shaji took a bribe of Rs 25 lakh to grant a Plus Two batch in Azhikode school in 2014. This FIR was cancelled by the Kerala High Court. Justice Kauser Edappagath cancelled further proceedings in the FIR after K M Shaji filed a petition. The court said that there is no allegation that K M Shaji demanded a bribe in the FIR or the evidence gathered during the investigation. Therefore, the High Court said that the charges under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act are not applicable and that there is no point in continuing the proceedings.

Meanwhile, the petition filed by the state government in the Supreme Court states that Shaji's contention that the case is politically motivated is wrong. The explanation given by the government is that most of the witnesses in the case are Muslim League workers or officials.

As part of the investigation, a vigilance raid was conducted at Shaji's house and Rs 47 lakh was found. But Shaji argued that it was part of the election fund. It has been pointed out in the petition that the school manager has admitted in his confidential statement before the magistrate that the bribe was paid.