Based on the report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate in the corruption allegations case, the Kerala High Court on Friday ordered that a First Information Report (FIR) be registered against Kerala’s former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Kerala High Court also said that the Congress-led United Democratic Front government’s decision to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations leveled by the Enforcement Directorate against Pinarayi Vijayan was illegal.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids in August at 8 locations owned by Veena, the daughter of Pinarayi Vijayan, in connection with allegations that Kochi Minerals and Rutile (CMRL) had illegally paid Rs. 2.78 crore to her company, Exalogic Solutions, claiming it had provided information technology services.
Based on the evidence obtained in this raid conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the Enforcement Directorate wrote to the police asking that cases be registered against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena Vijayan, and her husband P.A. Muhammad Riyas. However, the Kerala government refused to accept the report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate as a preliminary investigation report.
It said that the Enforcement Directorate had not submitted sufficient evidence to register an FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan.
In this situation, based on the report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate, lawyer K.M. Shahjahan filed a petition in the Kerala High Court seeking registration of an FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan.
Final report without delay:
In an order issued on Friday, the bench headed by Kerala High Court Judge A. Badharudeen, which heard this petition, said that the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director must register an FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan on the basis of the report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the charges filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The investigation into the allegations raised by the Enforcement Directorate should be completed without delay, and the final report should be submitted. It was stated that the state police chief or the head of the SIT set up by the state government should hand over the report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate to the Director of the Anti-Corruption Department.
We will face it legally: Communist Party of India (Marxist)
We will face the case against Pinarayi Vijayan legally and politically, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas told reporters.
Regarding this, he further said, ‘The list released by Kerala state BJP vice president Shone George includes the names of various leaders from the ruling United Democratic Front government among those associated with the CMRL company. Therefore, the High Court should thoroughly examine all transactions carried out by the CMRL company.
We will legally and politically confront all central investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, which has been deployed against Pinarayi Vijayan,’ he said.
There is no possibility of the Kerala government filing an appeal:
Ruling party sources said that the Kerala government is unlikely to appeal against the Kerala High Court’s order directing that an FIR be registered against Pinarayi Vijayan.
They further said, “If a case had been filed against Pinarayi Vijayan without any inquiry, it would have been seen as an act of revenge by the Kerala government. At present, the state government has no plan to appeal against the High Court order. We will accept and comply with the High Court’s order.”
