Pinarayi Vijayan Faces Police Probe in CMRL Case

• Kerala government orders police inquiry
• DGP to oversee probe into ED report
• Crime Branch likely to conduct investigation
• CMRL-Exalogic payments at centre of allegations

GG News Bureau
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 22nd Sept: The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala on Tuesday ordered a police inquiry based on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) report seeking action against former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and her husband P A Mohamed Riyas in the alleged CMRL-Exalogic bribery case.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the state government had decided to entrust the Director General of Police (DGP), Ravada A Chandrasekhar, with an inquiry into the ED report. The inquiry is expected to be conducted by the Crime Branch, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Crime Branch ADGP, according to reports.

The decision followed the government’s consideration of the legal opinion of Advocate General Jaju Babu. The opinion reportedly held that the police could proceed on the basis of the ED’s findings and could conduct a preliminary inquiry where necessary before registering an FIR.

Chennithala said the AG’s opinion was received by the government and discussed with Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Tuesday before the decision was taken to entrust the matter to the DGP.

According to Chennithala, the legal opinion referred to Supreme Court judgments concerning the obligation of law enforcement agencies to act on information received and the circumstances in which a preliminary inquiry may be conducted before registration of an FIR.

He cited the Supreme Court’s Lalita Kumari judgment, saying a preliminary inquiry may be undertaken in certain categories, including corruption cases, where the information available does not clearly disclose a cognisable offence.

The ED had earlier written to the state police chief seeking registration of an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Vijayan, Veena and Riyas, based on material gathered during its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

ED allegations against CMRL-Exalogic
The ED has alleged that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) made fraudulent payments of ₹2.78 crore to Veena’s now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, under the guise of IT consultancy services. The agency has alleged that the transactions were not genuine consultancy payments.

The wider ED investigation has also examined alleged payments involving Vijayan, Veena and Riyas. The agency had forwarded its findings and supporting material to the state police under Section 66(2) of the PMLA, seeking action under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other applicable provisions.

The state government’s decision marks a new stage in the CMRL-Exalogic matter, with the police now tasked with examining the allegations and deciding the further course of action.