Satheesan Says Kerala Government Will Examine ED FIR Request Against Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has said his government will legally examine the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) request to register an FIR against former Chief Minister and current Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and others in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic case. Speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Satheesan said the government would study the material submitted by the central agency before taking any decision. He maintained that the matter would be handled according to law and not political considerations.

The ED has approached the Kerala Police seeking registration of a case against Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, son-in-law P A Mohammed Riyas and others. The agency's request relates to its investigation into alleged financial transactions involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, a company linked to Veena.

According to the ED, Exalogic allegedly received around ₹2.78 crore from CMRL in payments described as consultancy and IT-related services. The agency has questioned whether the services were actually provided and has alleged that its investigation uncovered a wider financial trail. The ED has also referred to alleged hawala-linked transactions and claimed that its findings warrant further investigation under relevant anti-corruption laws. These remain allegations made by the investigating agency and have not been established as wrongdoing by a court.

Satheesan said the government could not simply reject the ED's communication because it came from a central agency. He stressed that the seriousness of the allegations and the supporting material would first have to be assessed before deciding on the next course of action. The development has triggered a political confrontation in Kerala. The CPI(M) has criticised the ED action and alleged that the investigation is politically motivated. The party has also questioned the Congress-led state government's position on the matter.

Vijayan has rejected the allegations as baseless and has accused central agencies of targeting him. The individuals named in the ED's communication have not been convicted of any offence. The ED's request is under legal examination by the Kerala government and police authorities. The next major step will depend on the assessment of the agency's report and whether the state police decides to register an FIR. The case is likely to remain a major political issue in Kerala as the government weighs the legal implications of the ED's allegations against the former chief minister.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.