Congress MLA raises allegations of pay-off against Kerala CM’s daughter in Assembly
He also flashed documents to support his allegation in the assembly to prove his point.
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has recorded the statement of Veena Vijayan, daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as part of the ongoing investigation into the monthly pay-off case involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Veena’s now-defunct IT company, Exalogic Solutions Limited.
Veena appeared for questioning at SFIO’s Chennai office on Wednesday, where she was interrogated by a team led by SFIO investigating officer Arun Prasad. Sources said that this is the second time Veena has been questioned during the investigation.
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The Income Tax Interim Settlement Board (ITISB) discovered that CMRL disbursed Rs 135 crore to political leaders and others since 2016. It was also found that Veena Vijayan and her company Exalogic received Rs 1.72 crore from CMRL between 2017 and 2020 without providing any services.
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On 31 January, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs ordered the SFIO to probe the affairs of Exalogic Solutions, Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC). A six-member team, headed by Deputy Director M. Arun Prasad, is investigating the matter.
In February, the Karnataka High Court dismissed a petition filed by Veena seeking to halt the SFIO investigation into her firm, Exalogic Solutions.
Reacting to the developments, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran expressed doubt about the SFIO probe’s outcome, alleging a covert understanding between the CPI-M and BJP leadership.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan described the SFIO’s questioning of Veena as an election stunt, claiming that the Central agencies would not conduct a fair investigation.
Satheesan criticized the police for not filing charges against BJP state chief K Surendran in the Manjeswaram election bribery case within the stipulated time, further alleging bias in other cases involving BJP leaders.
Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan also voiced skepticism over the SFIO’s efforts, suggesting that the central government’s actions were aimed at protecting Veena. He argued that if the government were truly committed, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) would have initiated a probe.
There is a widespread perception in Kerala that the Modi government is lenient toward Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI-M, with several cases being adjourned or not properly investigated. The Congress party claims that the CPI-M and BJP are colluding to settle cases.
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