Came to pee, not to see you: Pinarayi Vijayan snaps at reporters over ED question in washroom

Pinarayi Vijayan snapped at reporters at the Chengannur rest house when they asked about the ED's move for an FIR in the CMRL case. The confrontation came as the Kerala government kept the agency's request for legal scrutiny and Vijayan called the action political vendetta.

In Short

• The exchange happened at Chengannur rest house as cameras recorded his response
• ED alleged CMRL paid Rs 2.78 crore to Exalogic as consultancy
• The agency named daughter Veena, son-in-law Riyas and others involved

Former Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) senior leader Pinarayi Vijayan lost his cool when reporters questioned him about the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking a criminal case against him and his family in the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) bribery case.

The incident took place at the Chengannur rest house when Vijayan arrived there and reporters asked him about the ED's communication to the Kerala Director General of Police seeking registration of an FIR.

As reporters questioned him, Vijayan asked them to stay outside and questioned whether they would follow him even into the washroom.

“Stand outside, are you going to come to the bathroom also?” Vijayan said.

As he came out of the washroom, Vijayan again hit out at the reporters, saying, “I came here to use the washroom to pee, not to see you.”

A video of the incident shows Vijayan coming out of the washroom and responding to the reporters.

ED SEEKS FIR AGAINST PINARAYI VIJAYAN, FAMILY

The exchange came days after the ED wrote to Kerala DGP Ravada A Chandrasekhar seeking registration of an FIR against Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, son-in-law PA Mohammed Riyas and some others in connection with the alleged CMRL bribery case.

According to the ED, Kerala-based mining company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited allegedly made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, in the guise of IT consultancy services.

The ED has alleged that Vijayan received a bribe from CMRL through his daughter, while Mohammed Riyas allegedly acted as a mediator.

KERALA GOVERNMENT SENDS ED REQUEST FOR LEGAL SCRUTINY

The state government said the ED's request had been forwarded to the Home Secretary for legal scrutiny before further steps are taken as per law.

The ED had earlier searched premises linked to Veena in June at the rented accommodation in Thiruvananthapuram where she was living with Vijayan. She was subsequently questioned by the agency.

In a statement issued in August, the ED said “handwritten” notes were seized during searches against Veena and alleged that they contained details of certain fund transfers to Dubai.

Riyas, a CPI(M) leader and Veena's husband, had said that he and the party would politically and legally deal with the ED case, including the searches carried out at their homes and at the businesses of people linked to them.

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan had also criticised the ED's action and alleged that the agency was attempting to target Riyas.

VIJAYAN ACCUSES ED OF POLITICAL VENDETTA

Vijayan has rejected the allegations and described the ED action as a political vendetta.

Vijayan also criticised the ED over its investigation into the multi-crore-rupee Karuvannur bank scam.

He alleged that the state police was already taking action against those accused of irregularities in the Karuvannur bank case when the ED intervened with the alleged intention of making the CPI(M) a culprit.

Vijayan further alleged that the ED influenced some accused by offering them the possibility of becoming approvers and made them give statements that suited the agency.

According to Vijayan, the probe was aimed at discrediting and weakening Kerala's cooperative sector, which he said holds lakhs of crores of rupees.

He alleged that the ED's actions were politically motivated and aimed at targeting the CPI(M).

The latest confrontation with reporters came as the ED's request for an FIR against Vijayan, Veena, Riyas and others remains under legal scrutiny by the Kerala government.

- Ends