ED letter details alleged hawala transactions; claims Veena sought to set up benami company in Dubai

Thiruvananthapuram: Details of the letter the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sent to the DGP, seeking registration of cases against Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, and her husband, former minister P A Mohammed Riyas, have emerged. The agency has reportedly enclosed copies of entries and financial calculations from a 'Red Book' allegedly recovered from Veena as evidence.

According to the ED, the notes contain details of funds allegedly sent to Dubai through hawala channels. The agency has also cited WhatsApp conversations and statements recorded from alleged hawala operators as part of the material supporting its allegations.

One entry on the third page of the Red Book is dated September 17, 2024. It reportedly reads: "Sent from here: 85 lakhs. Received by Faiyaz: 349K (AED)." The ED has interpreted this as referring to ₹85 lakh being sent from India, with 3.49 lakh UAE dirhams allegedly received by V P Faiyaz in Dubai.

The agency has calculated the value of 3.49 lakh UAE dirhams at around ₹79.6 lakh based on the exchange rate at the time. The ED has described the entry as an indication of a large-scale hawala or illegal financial transaction. According to the agency, Veena told investigators that she had known Faiyaz for around 10 years.

Notes mention crores
The ED claims that Veena identified Nikhil, Waris and Shaijal during questioning as close friends of Riyas. According to the agency, the amounts mentioned in the note total ₹8.2 crore. The figure ₹20.05 crore is also reportedly recorded alongside the entry.

A handwritten note allegedly recovered from the Red Book reads: "Nikhil – 3 crore, Waris – 1.2 crore, Shaijal – 1 + 3."

The agency claims that Veena admitted to writing these notes during election campaigning in March. She told investigators that the transactions were linked to plans to establish a company abroad.

ED alleges plan to establish benami company in Dubai
The ED has specifically linked Veena's visits to Dubai in 2024 with what it describes as efforts to establish a benami company there.

According to the letter, Veena travelled to Dubai on January 29, May 3, July 2 and November 28, 2024. The ED claims that information recovered from her phone showed that she was actively involved in efforts to establish a company in Dubai.

The agency has alleged that the proposed company was intended to be a benami entity and that the purpose of setting it up was to invest money allegedly collected in India.

The ED has also claimed that its examination of the handwritten notes relating to foreign remittances, along with information from Veena's phone, indicates that her frequent trips to Dubai were connected to the proposed company.

ED links transactions to Riyas
The letter reportedly states that Veena had no independent source of income in 2024 and was residing with Riyas at the minister's official residence. The ED has alleged that the transactions recorded in the diary were connected to funds associated with Riyas.

According to the agency, statements recorded during the investigation indicate that Riyas had directly instructed individuals to send money abroad through illegal channels.

The ED has alleged that the hawala and other financial transactions took place between July 2024 and July 2025 through people associated with Riyas and that he was aware of them.

Red Book seized during search
According to the ED, the Red Book was seized during a search conducted on May 27 at a rented house near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram, where Veena was residing with Pinarayi Vijayan.

The agency has submitted the entries in the book, alleged WhatsApp conversations and statements recorded during the investigation as supporting material in its request to the DGP to register cases against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena and Riyas.