New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notice to KM Shaji over the Kerala government’s plea against High Court's decision to invalidate the FIR registered against him in the Plus Two bribery case. The SC bench consisting of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah issued the notices to Shaji and the co-accused. 

SC has given six weeks to Shaji for the response to the notice. The SC bench also asked the advocates who appeared for the Kerala government if they have any solid proof/substantial evidence against the IUML leader. They also reminded the lawyers that the Kerala HC had quashed the case citing a lack of conclusive evidence. In response, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul and standing counsel Harshad V Hameed argued that though there is a lack of direct evidence, connected evidence is available in plenty for his role in the alleged scam.   

The state government has been advocating in the apex court for a thorough investigation against Shaji. In its appeal against the Kerala HC order, the government noted that the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Kerala (VACB) had registered an FIR and initiated an investigation based on a complaint.

According to the complaint, Shaji in 2014 took a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from the management of an aided higher secondary school in Azhikode for a new Plus Two batch. The case was registered in 2020. Meanwhile, Kerala HC cancelled further proceedings in the case and later quashed actions taken by the Enforcement Directorate. It also set aside the seizure of Shaji’s assets. 

Following this only, the Kerala government approached the apex court. The government pointed out that the school manager had given a secret statement before the magistrate about paying a bribe to Shaji. It also dismissed Shaji's claim that the case was politically motivated. The government pointed out that the majority of witnesses were Muslim League activists or their office bearers. 

Earlier, the VACB raid at Shaji's house also unearthed Rs 47 lakh, which the Muslim League leader declared as election funds. Shaji was an MLA, part of the ruling UDF when the alleged crime occurred.