ED registers case against IT firm of CM Vijayan's daughter

Kochi, March 27: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday initiated an investigation into a money laundering case involving Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan’s IT firm and the Cochin-based mining firm CMRL.

The case is already being probed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

The Kochi office of the ED has filed an ECIR in the case. The ECIR is similar to the FIR lodged by the police for cognizable offences.

This issue was first raised last year by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan on the basis of a media report, which quoted an Income Tax Department officer as saying that "CM Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan’s IT firm Exalogic had received Rs 1.72 crore from the mining company CMRL, in which the KSIDC has around 13 per cent stake".

Initially, CM Vijayan and the CPI(M) defended the case both inside and outside the Assembly. They said that this was nothing but a political witch hunt. But the defence fell apart when the SFIO took up the probe last month.

The SFIO has completed one round of probe by visiting the offices of CMRL and KSIDC and has taken statements from officials of both these firms.

When the SFIO began its probe, the KSIDC approached the Kerala High Court seeking a stay, which was disallowed. Veena, whose IT firm was based in Bengaluru and now not in operation, approached the Karnataka High Court seeking a stay, but was also disallowed.