BJP leader Shone George on Wednesday alleged that a substantial amount from the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL)-Exalogic deal was deposited into the Abu Dhabi-based bank account of Kerala Chief Minister Panarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan.
Addressing a press conference here, he said the commission amount was deposited in Abu Dhabi-based Commercial Bank to the account of Exalogic Consulting, Media City, UAE.
He said according to information received, this account was operated by Veena and M Suneesh from 2016 to 2019. Shone further disclosed that a significant sum of money was subsequently transferred to various accounts in the US. Shone said this information was provided to the ED Special Director in Chennai by him on April 19.
Shone further alleged that crores of rupees was transacted through this account and that money from SNC Lavlin Company and PwC Company came into this account.
In this connection, it has been reported that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is currently delving into a foreign bank account as part of its inquiry into financial transactions linked to Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) based in Kochi.
The investigation expanded its scope to include an Abu Dhabi- based bank account following indications that two foreign companies had made substantial deposits of Rs 3 crore each in this account. Central agencies have been closely monitoring this bank account, it is learnt
According to SFIO findings, global consultancy giant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin made multiple deposits into the Abu Dhabi account between 2016 and 2019.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Kochi office reportedly received information about these money transfers about a year ago during its investigation into KIIFB’s masala bonds, which allegedly violated the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Meanwhile,. Shone George has filed a petition in the Kerala High Court stating that crores have reached in Veena Vijayan’s company’s overseas account and seeking an investigation into it
The Income Tax Interim Settlement Board (ITISB) had found that Rs 1.72 crore was received by Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan and her company Exalogic during 2017-20 from the mining company, the CMRL without providing any service to them.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs on 31 January issued an order handing over the probe into the affairs of Exalogic Solutions, the firm owned by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan , as well as Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Industrial( KSIDC) to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) A six-member team is authorised to probe the matter, with Deputy Director M Arun Prasad as the investigating officer.