Even as the Congress leaders in Kerala are alleging that it was because of the secret deals between BJP and CPI-M that the Central agencies are not properly probing the charges against the ruling party leaders including the alleged monthly pay-off charge involving Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan, it has now come to light that the probe by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) against Veena Vijayan’s company was hidden from the public for three years.
Though the Registrar of Companies (ROC) initiated a probe under Section 206 of the Companies Act on 29.1.2021 in respect of certain transactions between Exalogic Solutions and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), it was hidden from the public.
It may be noted that the ROC started the enquiry based on the information received from the Enforcement Directorate regarding the transactions between CMRL and Veena Vijayan’s company.
The Karnataka High Court verdict in the petition filed by Veena says: “Proceedings under Section 206 of the Act, therefore, was sought to be initiated against the petitioner. It did not spring from air but it was due to the information received from the Enforcement Directorate regarding the transactions between CMRL and the petitioner.”
From this, it is very much clear that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was aware of the transactions between the company owned by Chief Minister Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan (Veena T), Exalogic Solutions and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) in January 2021 itself, but the ED has not made any serious probe into it.
The Karnataka High Court in its order in Veena’s petition also quotes the arguments put forth by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) in the court, wherein the ASG says: “It is not a case where Rs 1.70 crore is the subject matter of investigation as is contended by the learned senior counsel for the petitioner but it is Rs Rs.135 crore transaction between CMRL and the Company of the petitioner and others and those funds have been handed over to the accounts of several political entities. In this connection, a question also arose why the Central agencies do not initiate a probe against these transactions till Shone George approached the Kerala High Court, seeking a probe by SFIO against these alleged illegal transactions.
It was only after Shone George approached the Kerala High Court that the Centre government ordered an SFIO probe into the allegations levelled against the firm Exalogic Solutions and CMRL in January this year.
The present revelation also give credentials to the Congress allegation that SNC Lavlin case, in which CM Vijayan is also a party, is being adjourned for more than 30 times because of the nexus between the BJP and the CPI-M. The Congress is alleging that the probe by the ED in Karuvannur Bank scam is moving towards a ‘settlement ‘ as the probe is now going on a snail’s pace.
The contents in the order of the Karnataka High court puts BJP in Kerala in a difficult situation. It shows that the Registrar of Companies (ROC) started an enquiry Section 206 of the Companies Act on 29.1.2021 in respect of certain transactions between Exalogic Solutions and ‘Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL). The probe began before the 2021 Assembly polls and the BJP has all the sources to know about the probe.
From day one, the Congress has been alleging that the BJP and the Central government are protecting Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI-M. In this connection, it may be noted that the Congress has succeeded in creating a narrative that the BJP and the Central government are protecting Pinarayi Vijayan and other CPI–M leaders, who are facing serious corruption charges.
It has been reported that a large number of BJP workers and sympathisers are sore over this alleged unholy nexus between BJP and CPI-M in compromising cases, including gold smuggling and SNC Lavlin. They are asking how such a compromise has been entered into by the party leadership, without considering the sentiments of the BJP workers.
The New Delhi bench of the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board (ITISB) found that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena had allegedly received Rs 1.72 crore from CMRL. The ITISB bench had stated that Rs 1.72 crore was allegedly paid by CMRL to Exalogic Solutions for consultancy services that were never provided. The IT Department had termed it as an illegal transaction in the guise of monthly instalments paid over for three years 2017-20.