Thiruvananthapuram: Former Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas has questioned the presence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s family at a high-level meeting on Vizhinjam International Seaport developments. In a social media post, he shared a photo originally posted by Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) officials and asked, “Who is this young authority in a meeting attended by the VISL chairperson and concerned ministers?”

The image shows VISL Managing Director Divya S Iyer leading a discussion, with the Chief Minister’s daughter T Veena and grandson Ishan also visible. The Chief Minister visited Vizhinjam to review preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit. The CM was also accompanied by Vasavan, district-in-charge minister V Sivankutty, Mayor Arya Rajendran, and senior officials from the port department and Adani Ports.

The opposition has echoed the criticism, particularly in light of Veena’s status as an accused in an SFIO case related to financial irregularities. Meanwhile, Port Minister V N Vasavan said that no review meeting was held at Vizhinjam. 

Adding to the controversy are visuals showing Veena seated in the front seat of the CM’s official high-security vehicle — a space typically reserved for armed security personnel. Footage of her alighting from the front passenger seat was also circulated by port authorities.

In response to the backlash, officials attempted to downplay the incident by stating the CM’s visit was unofficial. VISL MD Divya S Iyer defended the family's presence, stating it was an informal visit and that there was nothing unusual about the CM being accompanied by his family. However, a social media post shared by VISL after the visit mentioned that Vijayan had reviewed construction progress at the port.

“Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reviewed the final preparations at the Vizhinjam port. He inspected key facilities, including the state-of-the-art VTMS (Vessel Traffic Management System). Vizhinjam is all set to mark a new era in India’s maritime sector! The Chief Minister was accompanied by Ports and Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran, and Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) Managing Director Dr Divya S Iyer. The Vizhinjam International Seaport will be officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2, 2025,” the post said.