The Kerala High Court has now rejected Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited’s request to cancel the Enforcement Directorate investigation into Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan’s company.
The bench comprising Justice T.R. Ravi dismissed the petitions filed by CMRL managing director S.N Sasidharan Kartha and company officials, which sought a stay in the ED investigation and summons.
The case alleged that CMRL paid a large sum of money to Exalogic Solutions, a company owned by Veena, for unspecified services. A sum of Rs 1.72 crore was allegedly paid without receiving any IT services.
The allegations involved bribery and money laundering.
The case is being investigated by both the ED and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office.
The Court refused to interfere and has allowed the ED to continue its investigation into the case.
Earlier, the court had stayed strict action against some officials in the same case. The earlier order has also been revoked with the new order.
The company argues that the money transaction was a part of normal business and said that the ED investigation was unnecessary, as the SFIO was already investigating the case.
However, the ED argued that the their investigation was different from the SFIO probe. They said that the CMRL, which had a 62 per cent stake in a public sector undertaking, deceived the people.
The company officials have now been directed to appear before the ED and cooperate with the investigation.
The ED will be issuing summons to prominent figures in the case, including MD Sasidharan Kartha. Veena Vijayan may also be called in for questioning.
