VACB registered case to undermine my political future, says KM Shaji in SC

New Delhi: In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in connection with the Plus Two bribery case, Muslim League leader K.M. Shaji claimed that the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) initiated a case against him to sabotage his political career.

Shaji filed the affidavit in response to the Kerala Government's plea in the apex court challenging the High Court's ruling to invalidate the FIR registered in the bribery case. Shaji demanded that the government's appeal be dismissed and a fine imposed. 

Earlier, the bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Asrudheen Amanulla issued a notice to Shaji. Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul and Standing Council Harshad V. Hameed, who represented the state government, contended that while there was no direct evidence that Shaji had accepted bribe, the investigating team had gathered circumstantial evidence. 

However, in the affidavit, Shaji contended that VACB registered a case solely on the basis of a complaint lodged by a local CPM activist and termed it a "politically motivated" move. He added that the school manager's statement also reveals that management had not paid bribes to receive Plus-2 seats.

Shaji is facing charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegedly accepting bribe of Rs 25 lakh in connection with granting a higher secondary batch to a government-aided private school in his former constituency. The alleged crime took place during the tenure of the Oommen Chandy government. Shaji served as an MLA in that period.