Stories
Kerala High Court Orders FIR Against Former CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Family in Corruption Case
- •The Kerala High Court has ordered the registration of an FIR against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena, and son-in-law Mohammed Riyas over alleged financial irregularities and corruption.
- •The Enforcement Directorate had earlier claimed to have found evidence of hawala transactions worth crores of rupees involving the accused.
- •The BJP has demanded Pinarayi Vijayan's immediate resignation from his position before the upcoming assembly session, threatening public protests.
- •The petition questioned the state government's decision to order a preliminary inquiry through a special investigation team instead of registering an FIR directly.
Key Questions Answered
The Kerala High Court ordered an FIR against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena, and son-in-law Mohammed Riyas following allegations of financial irregularities and corruption. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had uncovered evidence related to multi-crore hawala transactions and sought the registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The ED alleged that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Exalogic Solutions, the now-defunct company belonging to Vijayan's daughter Veena, under the guise of IT consultancy services. The agency claims this money served as a bribe in exchange for undue favors granted to CMRL while Vijayan was chief minister.
Following the ED's letter requesting an FIR, the state's home secretary directed the DGP to hand the case over to the Crime Branch and form a special investigation team for a preliminary inquiry. Although the state's legal advisors suggested registering an immediate FIR, the government opted for a preliminary probe, which was subsequently challenged in the High Court.
