CMRL-Exalogic case: Kerala Vigilance registers FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena and Riyas

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Monday registered two separate FIRs in the CMRL-Exalogic case, naming Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena Vijayan and her husband, former minister P A Mohammed Riyas as the accused.

In the first case involving the alleged financial transactions involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, Pinarayi has been named the first accused while Veena is the second accused. In the second case pertaining to money laundering, Mohammed Riyas has been named the first accused, while Veena is the second accused. 

The development follows a Kerala High Court directive on Friday ordering the state government to register an FIR based on information provided by the ED. The court held that the agency's communication contained sufficient material to disclose cognisable offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In its 25-page communication, the ED had included witness statements, financial transaction records, entries from seized diaries and notebooks, and chat records. The court observed that the material warranted the registration of an FIR. The ED then forwarded its findings to the State Police Chief under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), seeking action against Vijayan, Veena and Riyas under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other relevant provisions.

The communication followed the ED's investigation into alleged financial transactions between CMRL and Exalogic Solutions, a company associated with Veena Vijayan. The agency has alleged that CMRL made payments to Exalogic without receiving corresponding services, claiming that the transactions formed part of a larger alleged bribery arrangement. The allegations have not been established in court.

The latest proceedings centred on whether the state police could conduct a preliminary inquiry before registering an FIR based on the material forwarded by the ED.

The case follows earlier legal proceedings concerning the ED's investigation into CMRL and its subsequent probe under the PMLA. In June, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court considered challenges by CMRL officials to the ED proceedings, including issues concerning scheduled offences and investigations under the money laundering law.