On Saturday, October 17, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pasted a copy of its summons at the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan after his family members refused to accept the notice in person. The move came as the central agency investigates the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) payoff case.
ED officials first sent the summons by post and later visited Vijayan’s residence at Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram to deliver it personally. However, Vijayan was not at home, and those present refused to accept the notice. The officials returned later and made another attempt, but after facing another refusal, they pasted the summons on the wall of the residence.
The notice directs Vijayan to appear before the ED for questioning at 11 am on Friday, October 23. It also asks him to submit documents related to his Income Tax details. However, indications suggest that the senior CPI(M) leader may skip the appearance, citing the ongoing Kerala Assembly session.
The ED is questioning Vijayan in connection with an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered in the CMRL case. The agency has claimed that Vijayan received ₹3.28 crore as a bribe through his daughter, T Veena.
Kerala High Court orders FIR in CMRL case
The case has also seen legal proceedings in the Kerala High Court. Based on information shared by the ED, the court directed the state police chief to register an FIR and begin a detailed investigation. The order came on a petition filed by public activist K M Shahjahan.
The ED had informed the court that it had completed a preliminary inquiry and handed over documents and diary entries to the state police. The agency also offered to provide further evidence, including recorded statements, if requested by the state government. The court found that another preliminary inquiry was not required.
Vijayan and his son-in-law, former Public Works Department minister PA Mohammed Riyas, challenged the order before a Division Bench, which rejected their appeals. Their appeals are now pending before the Supreme Court.
The ED has registered two ECIRs based on cases filed by the state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. One concerns the payments linked to Vijayan, while the other concerns claims that Riyas made undue gains as a minister and attempted to move the money to Gulf countries with his wife’s help.
Background of the CMRL payoff case
The controversy involves CMRL, a Kerala-based company that manufactures synthetic rutile and industrial chemicals, and Exalogic Solutions, an IT firm owned by Veena T. The transactions took place during Vijayan’s first term as chief minister.
The matter came to light in August 2023 after reports said Exalogic received ₹1.72 crore from CMRL between 2017 and 2020 without providing services in return. The Centre subsequently directed the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to investigate.
The ED later stated that CMRL paid ₹2.78 crore to Exalogic in the name of IT consultancy fees despite no services being provided. In May, the agency conducted searches at Vijayan’s premises and eight locations linked to local CPI(M) leaders in Kozhikode district.
During the investigation, the ED said it found evidence of money transfers through hawala routes. It also told Kerala Police that CMRL’s former chief financial officer had stated that Riyas helped transfer money to Dubai through Veena and others. The agency’s findings form part of the ongoing investigation into the financial transactions and suspected payoff.
