Bar bribery case: Vigilance to question former excise minister K Babu

Kerala Vigilance Department will question former Excise Minister K Babu on Monday in the bar-bribery scam that rocked the previous UDF government. According to reports, the vigilance is set to question K Babu at its office in Ernakulam, based on a complaint filed by businessman VM Radhakrishnan. In his complaint, Radhakrishnan alleged that the former minister was involved in misusing his position to issue bar-licences to the tune of Rs 100 crores.    After a previous vigilance team headed by SP R Nishanthini submitted a report citing lack of evidence against Babu, VM Radharakrishnan lodged a fresh complaint, once the the LDF government assumed power. A vigilance team had -in September- recorded bar hotel owner Radhakrishnan’s statements. Radhakrishnan had then provided the investigating agency with documents that pointed to alleged fund-raising by the bar hotel owners to pay Babu for issue of the said licences.