The bar bribery row has once again stirred controversy in Kerala after a leaked audio clip, purportedly of a hotel association state committee member, asking others to pay a bribe for a “favourable state liquor policy” went viral. While excise minister MB Rajesh denied the allegations of a policy scam, the Opposition has escalated the matter and demanded an investigation.
It was on Friday, May 24, that the audio clip, allegedly in the voice of Animon alias Jayakrishanan, the district president of the Idukki Federation of Kerala Hotel Association (FKHA), surfaced. He is heard claiming that a new liquor policy will come into action after the Lok Sabha elections and that dry days will be done away with, if bar owners pay a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh each. He then says that the fund collection for this is ongoing under the supervision of the state president of FKHA.
The liquor policy is generally renewed on April 1, but this time it has been deferred due to the ongoing elections. After the said audio clip went viral, MB Rajesh clarified that the government is yet to begin preliminary discussions on the liquor policy. He further said that strict action must be taken against those who attempt to influence state policies.
Leader of Opposition VD Satheeshan, and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran, demanded the resignation of Rajesh, calling the Left government corrupt, and Congress leader VM Sudheeran said that an investigation must be initiated. Following this, the Youth Congress on Saturday, May 25, staged a protest march in MB Rajesh’s MLA office in Palakkad’s Thrithala.
Meanwhile, V Sunilkumar the state president of FKHA denied Animon’s bribery allegations against him and clarified that the Association was told to collect the amount for the construction of a building. “This government has not approached us with such a demand and we have expelled Animon from the organisation,” he told the media.
Similarly, the Spice Grove hotel in Idukki, the owners of which Animon claimed paid the bribe, denied it. Aravindhakshan, the executive director of the hotel, said that they had not given any money and that they were not aware of this incident.