Kochi: T Veena, daughter of Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for the second time this month in connection with its money laundering investigation into the alleged Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) - Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd monthly pay-off case.

Veena appeared before the ED's Kochi zonal office around 9 am, days after the agency secured access to 134 documents collected by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), a development that appears to have accelerated the investigation. An Ernakulam special court had recently granted the ED permission to obtain copies of the records from the SFIO.

The latest interrogation comes just over a week after Veena underwent nearly nine hours of questioning by the ED on June 17.

The probe has also focused on the top management of CMRL and its associated entities. A day before questioning Veena earlier this month, the ED interrogated Shiby S Kartha, daughter of CMRL founder Sasidharan Kartha and a director of an associated company; Saran S Kartha, Joint Managing Director of CMRL; and Jaya S Kartha, wife of Sasidharan Kartha, who was questioned in her capacity as a director of EICIPL.

Following Veena's first appearance before the agency, ED officials inspected her bank lockers in Thiruvananthapuram on June 19. The agency had later issued a fresh summons directing her to appear on June 29. However, Thursday's questioning came ahead of that scheduled appearance, apparently after investigators obtained the SFIO records.

The ED's money laundering investigation is based on a prosecution complaint filed by the SFIO before an Ernakulam court in April 2025.

According to the SFIO, which functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, CMRL transferred ₹2.78 crore to Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, without receiving any services in return. The agency alleged that the payments were booked by CMRL as fictitious expenses before the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board.

The SFIO investigation also uncovered alleged financial irregularities involving fictitious cash expenses amounting to nearly ₹182 crore over a period of 15 years. According to the agency, the funds were systematically shown as false expenditure and were allegedly used to make payments to various individuals.

The ED is now examining the 134 documents obtained from the SFIO to trace the money trail and determine the extent of the alleged money laundering linked to the purported pay-off arrangement.