KOCHI: The Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau has filed a first information report in the Thrissur Vigilance Court on Tuesday against P.I. Sheikh Pareeth, tourism director and former Ernakulam district collector.

The case is connected with the permission granted to a bar to function despite the land was taken over for the Kochi Metro Rail project.

The VACB also filed FIR against former Ernakulam deputy excise commissioner Ajit Lal and bar owner Uthaman in connection with the case.

According to the charge sheet the bar hotel and the land located in Ernakulam South was taken over for the Metro project after paying due compensation to the owner.

The bar and other establishments functioning in the premise were also sealed after the takeover.

According to the charge sheet the owner of the bar then approached the district collector seeking permission for a stock clearance sale and the collector gave the permission without following the due procedure.

The bar then functioned for more than three months and it was closed down only after Kochi Metro Rail Ltd MD Elias George issued a special order in this regard.

Excise Minister K Babu said that the bar was allowed to function in order to clear stock after the land in which it was functioning was taken over for the metro project.