Chennai: T Veena, daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and director of Exalogic, has appeared before the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) here to give a statement regarding the ongoing investigation into financial irregularities of her firm.
According to reports, Veena arrived at the office to give her statement to an officer named Arun Prasad. SFIO's only office in South India is in Chennai. Veena arrived at the office with her lawyer at 9am on Monday morning.
The High Court of Karnataka had last week dismissed a petition filed by Exalogic against a SFIO probe into its affairs. The Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs had asked the SFIO to investigate the company, which the firm had challenged in the HC. Justice M Nagaprasanna of the Karnataka High Court dismissed the petition.
Earlier this month, the Kerala High Court had declined to stay the SFIO probe into state-run KSIDC, Exalogic and Kochi-based mines company CMRL.
A controversy erupted in Kerala after Malayalam Manorama reported last year that CMRL had paid a total of Rs 1.72 crore to the chief minister's daughter's firm between 2017 and 2020. The news report cited the ruling of an interim board for settlement and said that CMRL previously had an agreement with Veena's IT firm for consultancy and software support services.
It also alleged that though no service was rendered by her firm, the amount was paid on a monthly basis "due to her relationship with a prominent person". The report also cited findings by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) against her firm.
