The CMRL-Exalogic case involving Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena Vijayan, and her husband and former minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas has taken a new turn, with the ED summoning Pinarayi Vijayan for October 23. The summons has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED registered the case based on a state police FIR in this regard.
The summons coincides with Vijayan’s appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order directing an FIR against him, his daughter and his son-in-law. The Supreme Court has decided to hear the appeal after the Dussehra holidays. The plea sought an urgent hearing.
Senior counsel Adv. Sidharth Luthra appeared for former CM Pinarayi Vijayan on October 16 to present his appeal challenging the High Court order directing an FIR.
The lawyer sought urgent listing before a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
The counsel pleaded before the Court for protection for Pinarayi Vijayan from coercive action. He mentioned that an FIR had been registered against the plaintiff.
The Chief Justice of India stated that the case would be heard when the Supreme Court reopens on October 26 after the Navratri holidays. The Bench will be constituted based on the availability of judges.
Pinarayi Vijayan moved the Supreme Court after he and his family were shocked by the High Court’s decision on October 15. That day, the High Court dismissed their applications to appeal against a Single Bench order directing the registration of an FIR.
Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena Vijayan and her husband, P.A. Mohammed Riyas, argued before the High Court that the Single Judge’s order had been passed without hearing them. The High Court Division Bench maintained that ‘an accused in a corruption case has no locus standi to be heard before registering the FIR’.
On October 9, the Kerala High Court directed the Keralam Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register the case based on the ED’s report to the State Police Chief. The ED’s communication was based on the evidence it had gathered. Accordingly, the VACB registered two FIRs against the Pinarayi family.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Keralam Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has appointed two Special Investigation Teams to inquire into the allegations against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena Vijayan and P.A. Mohammed Riyas.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Thomson Jose will oversee the inquiry. Superintendent of Police E.N. Suresh will conduct the inquiry into the case in which Pinarayi Vijayan is the first accused. Kozhikode Special Cell Superintendent of Police Balakrishnan will inquire into the case in which P.A. Mohammed Riyas is the first accused.
Cases were registered in connection with two financial transactions that occurred during two different periods, based on the ED’s reports. Both cases have been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. In both cases, Veena Vijayan is the second accused.
Vigilance cases have been registered based on the ED’s reports, in compliance with the High Court order. The FIRs state that Pinarayi Vijayan and Mohammed Riyas misused their positions and amassed money.
The first case alleges that Veena Vijayan received monthly payments from CMRL for her company, Exalogic, during the first Pinarayi government (2016–2021). CMRL boss Sasidharan Kartha paid Rs 3.28 crore to Veena Vijayan without any services being rendered, allegedly because of her father’s position as the Chief Minister of the state.
The ED says that this amounted to a bribe to Pinarayi Vijayan. Therefore, Pinarayi is the first accused and Veena is the second accused in the first case. There are seven accused in this case, including Sasidharan Kartha.
The second case is based on the ED’s findings regarding money Mohammed Riyas allegedly made through illegal means and sent abroad through hawala transactions. Again, Veena is the second accused in this case. It is alleged that Veena and Riyas conspired with Riyas’s friends and sent Rs 85 lakh to the UAE through middlemen. The papers seized by the ED from Veena’s residence constitute the evidence in this regard.
The FIR states that the accused persons discussed the textile export business they intended to launch in Dubai. Eight people, including Riyas’s friends, are involved in the case. The Crime Branch SIT has handed over all documents, including the statements of Mohammed Riyas’s friends, to the Vigilance.
