Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led ruling UDF coalition in Kerala on Saturday decided not to accept Excise Minister K Babu's resignation over the bar bribery case, clearly indicating plans to brazen out charges in corruption scandals.
A meeting of the United Democratic Front also decided that former minister KM Mani, who resigned over the same case a few months ago, could return to the cabinet if his party wished.
The decision comes two days after the High Court stayed a vigilance court order on registering an FIR against Babu in the scam, in which bar owners alleged they bribed two ministers to change the liquor policy
The bar bribery scam and and the solar scam -- in which two accused allegedly forged connections with the chief minister's office to dupe people into investing in a fake company to set up solar panels -- are the two major corruption cases plaguing the Oommen Chandy government just ahead of assembly elections.
Babu had sent in his resignation to the chief minister earlier this month after the lower court ordered an FIR against him. This will not be accepted now.
Mani, who leads the Kerala Congress (M), had quit in November after an FIR was registered against him in the bar bribery case. Recently the state Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau gave him a clean chit in the case.
Chandy himself survived a scare this week in the solar scam when he got a say from the HC after a vigilance court ordered an FIR against him.
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