Thiruvananthapuram: Swapna Suresh, the key accused in the gold smuggling case that has rocked Kerala politics, had named Vijesh Pillai as an alleged intermediary of CPM during a Facebook Live on Thursday. Here is a look into who Vijesh Pillai is and why the Enforcement Directorate called upon this young businessman for questioning.
Indications are that the real name of the middle man “Vijay Pillai” named by gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh during her revelations about the issue, is “Vijay Koiloth”. Swapna’s allegation is that he had arrived, with the knowledge of CPI(M) State secretary M V Govindan, to demand that she should hand over evidence against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family members. Swapna had also released visuals of her meeting with him and email messages.
It is learnt that Vijesh is a native of Morazha in Kannur district. He travels in luxury cars. The documents released by Swapna state that he is the CEO of WGN Infotech of Kochi.
ED investigation on
The Enforcement Directorate has begun an investigation into the financial transactions of Vijesh Pillai.
The central agency suspects that he was part of a racket turning black money into white under the guise of investment in the cinema industry.
Vijesh had carried out a multilevel marketing business in his native place 10 years ago in association with another person. Later, he moved to Kochi.
He is the CEO of online video streaming company, Action OTT. Its office is in the World Trade Centre, Brigade Gateway Campus at Malleswaram in Bengaluru. It is a subsidiary of WGN Infotech that has its registered office in Kochi.
Vijesh had addressed a press conference in Kochi in the beginning of July 2021, announcing the launch of the online platform.
He had reportedly told his friends that the launch ceremony (puja) for a film would be conducted at the temple at his native place, Kadamberi, on March 23.
Currently, only his parents are staying at the house, near Chuzhali Bhagavathi Temple, at Kadamberi. Incidentally, Morazha, the native place of CPM Kerala State Secretary M V Govindan, is only 5 km from Kadamberi.
In her Facebook live, Swapna had claimed Vijesh had apparently approached on behalf of Govindan so that she could be dissuaded from making allegations against key CPM figures and their aides who likely had links to the rackets.
Local reports suggest Vijesh had no strong links to the CPM in his native place. His father, also named Govindan, said that his son did not have any ties with the CPM or M V Govindan. He dismissed Swapna's claims about his son.
Vijesh has not been maintaining much contact with his native place for a long time. He had come home a month ago, said his father.
The WGN Infotech company of Kochi, which is involved in broadcasting and media production, is no longer functional. There is no such office in Edappally, Kochi, under that name as mentioned in the documents released by Swapna.
The owner of the building where the company was functioning said that although the company was started in 2017, it was closed down in six months. The building owner also said that arrears in rent for the building were pending.
