Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 01: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Sat defended finance minister K.M. Mani following a graft allegation created against him by a businessman who owns hotels with bars here.

“This is a baseless allegation levelled by the businessman. He (businessman) aforesaid that he came and told me regarding this graft. Such a factor has ne’er taken place and i would like to raise him to reveal once, wherever and with whom did he come back and meet me,” Chandy told reporters.

Bar owner Biju Ramesh aforesaid on a TV channel that Mani had demanded Rs.five crore for permitting 418 bars in Kerala to stay open. These bars were ordered to be closed from the start of this financial .

Ramesh, also the Kerala Bar edifice owners Association president, aforesaid that association workplace bearers had handed over Rs.one crore in 2 instalments to Mani at his residence in Kottayam.

Ramesh also discovered that he had disclosed this graft deal to Chandy.

“If tested wrong, i’m ready to hand over all my assets to the Kerala government and even ready to sacrifice myself,” Ramesh aforesaid, participating within the TV discussion.

Chandy aforesaid every and each Keralite knows Mani all right.