Chennithala said the matter would be examined and further action would follow. He added that a decision would be taken after consulting the Chief Minister.
On whether Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was involved in the matter, Chennithala said, “I do not know whether he has spoken about it. This is an issue that has to be decided here itself.” He reiterated that there was no necessity to discuss the ED case with Rahul Gandhi and that the matter would be resolved within the state.
When asked whether the ED’s action could be politically motivated, Chennithala said the government had received the ED’s letter as well as the Advocate General’s legal opinion. He assured, “We will do everything that can be done legally.”
The ED had recently formally asked the Keralam Police to register an FIR against Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, and son-in-law PA Mohamed Riyas, accusing them of corruption. The agency is also investigating financial transactions involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The development followed searches conducted by the ED at eight locations in Kozhikode last month as part of the ongoing CMRL case. CMRL is a publicly listed company, with 48.75 per cent of its shares held by the general public and 13.41 per cent held by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, a state Public Sector Unit, as of March 31, 2023.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) MLA PA Mohamed Riyas criticised the ED investigation and said at a press conference that he would continue to oppose the central agency “till his last breath”. He accused the agency of spreading “blatant lies” and said he was “not afraid” of the ED. Riyas also claimed that raids conducted at his residences in Pinarayi and Thiruvananthapuram had failed to uncover any money.
Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan defended his daughter, T Veena, amid the allegations, asserting that all payments made were properly accounted for and taxes had been paid.
He stated, “That company provides services to many people. It provides services to many establishments. At one point, a news report I used to hear was that those receiving the services included religious extremists. That there were institutions of religious extremists. It is a very famous charitable trust.”
With the Advocate General’s opinion now before the Kerala government, the next action on the ED’s request will be taken after the matter is examined and the Chief Minister is consulted.
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