Thiruvananthapuram: The bar bribery case has come back to haunt Kerala finance minister K.M. Mani as the opposition Communist Party of India Marxist has decided to proceed legally against him.

The state budget is scheduled for March 13, and the opposition has vowed not to allow him to present it when he is facing such a serious allegation.

Mani is accused of taking a Rs10 million (Dh592,570) bribe from the liquor bar owners’ association, a charge that he has steadfastly denied. The bribe was allegedly to seek his help for a favourable stance for the liquor lobby at a time when the United Democratic Front government was giving final touches to a policy of total prohibition in the state.

The legal action against Mani is piloted by CPM leader and former Thiruvananthapuram mayor, V. Sivankutty, MLA. Sivankutty proposes to move the vigilance court, petitioning that Mani is accused of accepting bribes from the bar owners as well as from chicken traders and bakery owners.

The development comes on the heels of Noble Mathew, a former colleague of the finance minister in his Kerala Congress (M) party, moving the Kerala High Court regarding alleged sops given by the finance minister to two firms, and demanding an inquiry into the matter. Mathew had quit Mani’s party during the Lok Sabha election last year and floated the Kerala Congress (Nationalist) party.

Meanwhile, the government prosecutor has submitted to the vigilance court that the investigation into the alleged bribe paid to the finance minister will be completed within two months. The government’s explanation to the court came in connection to a petition by liquor bar owner, Biju Ramesh who has been in the forefront of the allegations against Mani.

While the bar bribery case continues to simmer, the Aam Admi Party volunteers in Kerala have launched a grass-roots survey into the emotions playing in Keralites’ minds regarding the issue. Teams of AAP volunteers have been collecting the opinion of common people, asking them in a questionnaire whether it is right for Mani to present the budget when he stands accused of corruption.

One aspect in Mani’s favour is that not all liquor bar owners have vouched the allegation made by Biju Ramesh against Mani.