The troubles for former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan are mounting amid developments in the CMRL-Exalogic case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Vijayan for October 23, while he has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Kerala High Court order directing the registration of an FIR against him, his daughter Veena Vijayan and former minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas.
Adding to the challenges facing Vijayan, a fresh Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed that he made 30 foreign trips during his 10-year tenure, visiting 17 countries, with airfare reimbursements reportedly totalling Rs 1.15 crore for Vijayan, his wife Kamala Vijayan and personal assistant V.M. Suneesh.
However, the RTI reply from the General Administration Department reportedly does not provide complete details of the official and private travels, prompting RTI applicant M.T. Thomas, a native of Mulakkulam South, to seek further information. He has indicated that he would appeal over the missing details of travel and accommodation expenses.
However, the RTI reply from the General Administration Department reportedly does not provide complete details of the official and private travels, prompting RTI applicant M.T. Thomas, a native of Mulakkulam South, to seek further information and indicate that he would appeal over the missing travel and accommodation accounts.
The report continues as follows:
Four out of the 30 trips were private ones. Four tours were to the US for medical treatment.
These expenditures covered airfares for official, private and medical trips from 2016 to 2026.
The trips were to various countries, including the US.
Here are the details of the private itinerary:
July 9 to 17, 2019: US.
May 6 to 12, 2024: Indonesia.
May 12 to 18, 2024: Singapore.
May 19 to 21, 2024: UAE.
Pinarayi also travelled to the UAE, Bahrain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, the UK, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.
As a CM Pinarayi Vijayan and his PA Suneesh travelled to the UAE, the US, the UK, Japan and South Korea during 2016–21. The airfares for those trips amounted to Rs 12,91,681.
During 2021–26, Rs 1,02,47,400 was reimbursed for the travels of Pinarayi Vijayan, Kamala Vijayan and Suneesh to the US, Norway, the UAE and Cuba.
The RTI reply states that even though Pinarayi’s US trip in July 2018 was recorded as a private trip, Rs 3,82,807 was approved for it.
There is no information about the agreements signed during the travels.
CPM senior leader and former minister A.K. Balan had made six trips, and former CPM minister K.T. Jaleel had made five trips.
CPM minister Kadakampalli Surendran made 13 trips. CPI minister V.S. Sunil kumar made six trips, all of them private ones.
Senior CPM leader E.P. Jayarajan travelled abroad seven times. E. Chandrasekharan, Mathew T. Thomas and Thomas Chandy made one trip each.
Since the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government took over on May 18, 2026, nine ministers have travelled abroad so far. P.C. Vishnunath’s UAE visit was the only official one. All the others made private trips.
