Kerala HC Orders FIR Against Pinarayi Vijayan in CMRL Case
High Court allows plea seeking a criminal case under anti-corruption law over alleged payments to company linked to Vijayan’s daughter.
GG News Bureau
Kochi, 9th Oct: The Kerala High Court on Friday ordered the registration of an FIR under anti-corruption law against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and others in connection with the alleged Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) bribery case.
Justice A. Badharudeen allowed a petition filed by advocate K. M. Shajahan, who argued that the police should register an FIR instead of conducting a preliminary inquiry into allegations detailed in a report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). A detailed judgment is awaited.
The ED had told the court that an FIR could be registered against Vijayan, his daughter Veena T. and her husband, P. A. Mohamed Riyas, based on the report it had submitted to the state police. The agency maintained that its report could be treated as a preliminary inquiry report and used as the basis for registering a criminal case.
The state government had opposed the ED’s position, arguing that the report was insufficient to justify an FIR and that a preliminary inquiry was necessary before proceeding further.
The development follows an earlier decision by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala to order a police inquiry after the ED wrote to the State Police Chief seeking an investigation into the allegations involving Vijayan, Veena and Riyas.
ED Alleges ₹2.78 Crore in Payments
The ED has sought the registration of a case based on what it describes as evidence gathered during its investigation and searches conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The agency has alleged that CMRL made payments totalling ₹2.78 crore to Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct company associated with Veena, under the guise of providing information technology consultancy services. The alleged payments form the basis of the bribery-related allegations.
The allegations have not, by themselves, established criminal guilt against the individuals named. The registration of an FIR would initiate the criminal investigation process, allowing the allegations to be examined by the investigating authorities.
The High Court’s detailed reasoning is awaited and is expected to clarify the legal basis for its direction and the treatment of the ED’s report in the case.
