Kerala VACB files FIRs against Pinarayi Vijayan, family in CMRL case

Kerala's Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered two FIRs against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family in the alleged CMRL bribery case. The move follows a High Court directive and escalates scrutiny of alleged payments and overseas fund transfers.

In Short

• Kerala High Court ordered case registration based on Enforcement Directorate findings
• ED alleged Rs 2.78 crore went to Exalogic for sham consultancy
• One FIR names Vijayan first accused over alleged CMRL payments

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Monday registered two FIRs against former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family members in the alleged CMRL bribery case, sources said. The cases were registered by the agency's Special Investigation Unit-1 following legal advice and a Kerala High Court directive.

The action is based on a report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate to the state police. According to sources, the report refers to separate allegations involving payments allegedly made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited to Vijayan's daughter, Veena T, and alleged transfer of funds abroad through hawala channels in connection with payments involving MLA P A Muhammad Riyas, Vijayan's son-in-law.

Officials said the FIRs have been registered under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Sources said Vijayan, who is now the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, has been named as the first accused in the case related to payments allegedly made by CMRL. In the second case, concerning the alleged transfer of money abroad, Riyas has been named as the first accused, sources added.

On Friday, the Kerala High Court directed the state government to register a case on the basis of the ED report, which alleged the involvement of Vijayan, Veena and Riyas in payments made by CMRL. The ED had sought registration of a case on the basis of evidence gathered during its investigation and searches carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The ED has alleged that CMRL made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, in the name of IT consultancy services. The two FIRs registered by the VACB deal separately with the alleged payments to Veena and the alleged transfer of funds abroad linked to Riyas.

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