Thiruvananthapuram: The vigilance court here has postponed the hearing on bar bribery case against former finance minister K M Mani to March 15, 2019.The court’s decision came after considering a petition by the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (VACB) here on Monday to postpone the hearing as a plea filed by state administrative reforms commission chairman V S Achuthanandan in connection with the case was pending before the high court.Achuthanandan had challenged the vigilance court’s directive to obtain prior permission from the government for conducting further investigation into the bar bribery case, following which the high court had asked the VACB to file a statement in response to the CPM leader’s petition.Achuthanandan, who sought to cancel the vigilance court’s directive, had argued that the case was registered before the amendment made in the Prevention of Corruption Act that mandated prior approval from the government to initiate investigation against people’s representatives.Mani too had challenged the vigilance court’s decision to allow further investigation into the case, which is also pending before the high court.

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