Pinarayi opposes CBI probe into Exalogic-CMRL deal, files counter affidavit in Kerala HC

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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has opposed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the High Court by a former journalist, which seeks a CBI probe into a financial transaction between his daughter’s now-defunct company and a private mining firm.
In a counter-affidavit filed before the Kerala High Court on Monday, Vijayan stated that the allegations against him are "false and unsubstantiated."
“There is no compelling reason for this Hon'ble court to direct a CBI investigation, especially when other agencies are already acting and no prima facie case of criminal conduct by me has been made out,” he submitted in the affidavit.
Reaffirming his trust in the judiciary, Vijayan added, “I have nothing to hide. However, I firmly believe that dragging the Central Bureau of Investigation into this matter at this stage would be unnecessary and unjustified.” He urged the court to dismiss the petition.
The PIL petitioner alleged that Exalogic Solutions, the IT firm once owned by the Chief Minister’s daughter, T Veena, received around ₹1.72 crore from the private mining company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). The plea seeks a thorough CBI investigation into the alleged financial dealings and possible links with the Chief Minister.
In March this year, the High Court dismissed a similar plea by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, who had also sought an investigation into the alleged transactions between Exalogic Solutions and CMRL. The court then ruled that Kuzhalnadan had "failed" to present facts constituting a corruption offence before the vigilance court against the Chief Minister, his daughter, and her firm.