Bar graft case: VACB records statements of Biju's aides

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Officials of the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau on Sunday recorded the state of two men close to Biju Ramesh, the working president of the bar owners' association.
Ramesh's driver Vijayakumar alias Ambili and Shyam, reception manager of Hotel Rajadhani, gave their statements to DSP S Suresh Kumar. It was learnt that their statements supported that of Ramesh, which was recorded on Friday.
According to sources, Ramesh stated to the anti-corruption bureau that bar hotel association state president D Rajkumar had stayed overnight at his hotel, Rajadhani in Fort, on March 31 and the next day he went to finance minister K M Mani's official residence at Cliff House.
Ramesh reportedly told the investigators that his car, bearing the registration number, KL-01-BB-7878, which was driven by Vijayakumar, took Rajkumar to the minister's residence.
Vijayakumar and Shyam corroborated Ramesh's statement. Shyam also produced the hotel registration and other related documents to prove Rajkumar's stay on the said date.
Vijayakumar told the officers that Rajkumar had then carried a suitcase containing Rs 35 lakh, and he knew about the money since Ramesh had told him, sources said.
Earlier, Ramesh had told officers that the money was the third installment of Rs 1 crore given to Mani.
The first two installments of Rs 15 lakh and Rs 50 lakh were handed over in the first and last week of March at Mani's residence in Pala.
Ramesh had also given a list of 13 bar hotel owners, who had allegedly met Mani at his residence to hand over the first two installments.
The vigilance bureau on Sunday sent notices to five of them, summoning them for recording their statements on Monday.
Sources said a few officers would visit another bar owner, Manoharan of Aroor in Alappuzha. He had early claimed to have bribed Mani, but later retracted.
Meanwhile, the investigators would have to wait for at least another week for getting the evidence Ramesh had promised. He, along with a team of prominent businessmen, left for Dubai on Sunday for a business meeting and would be back on Friday.