Govt orders probe against Pinarayi Vijayan and Mohammed Riyas
THE Kerala government has ordered a police inquiry into allegations against former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena, and former minister P. A. Mohammed Riyas in connection with the CMRL–Exalogic “monthly payment” case.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government had decided to entrust the Director General of Police with the inquiry following a report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the legal opinion of the Advocate General.
The ED had sought registration of cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena and Riyas, alleging irregularities in financial transactions involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and Veena's now-defunct IT firm, Exalogic Solutions.
The Advocate General's opinion reportedly held that the allegations and material contained in the ED report could be investigated and that the state police could proceed with appropriate action.
The legal opinion had left it to the police and government to determine the course of the investigation.
According to reports, the ED has alleged that payments made by CMRL to Exalogic were connected to alleged benefits to Pinarayi Vijayan.
The agency has also raised allegations concerning financial transactions involving Mohammed Riyas. These are allegations under investigation and have not been established as criminal findings against the individuals named.
The government’s decision follows weeks of deliberations over whether to register an FIR directly or conduct a preliminary inquiry.
Earlier, the possibility of a Vigilance probe, Crime Branch investigation or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been discussed.
The investigation is expected to examine the financial transactions and other material cited by the ED before determining whether further legal action, including registration of an FIR, is warranted.
The development has significant political implications in Kerala, as Pinarayi Vijayan is currently the Leader of the Opposition and Mohammed Riyas remains a prominent CPI(M) leader.
The CPI(M) has previously criticised the ED's allegations and described the move to pursue a case against Vijayan and his family as politically motivated.
The inquiry will now determine whether the allegations contained in the ED report are supported by evidence sufficient to warrant further proceedings.
