The Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered two Prevention of Corruption Act cases against former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena and her husband, former minister P A Mohamed Riyas, following a Kerala High Court directive to proceed with case registration instead of a preliminary inquiry.
The cases were registered on Monday by the Vigilance Special Investigation Unit-I in Thiruvananthapuram. The action follows findings and reports submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), according to the Times of India report on which the development is based. The allegations remain subject to investigation and do not establish guilt against any of the accused.
The first case concerns alleged payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) to Veena’s company, Exalogic Solutions, during the first Pinarayi Vijayan government. The report said the ED had alleged that the payments were made without corresponding services and constituted illegal gratification intended for Vijayan. Vijayan has been named the first accused and Veena the second accused in that case.
The case also names seven other accused, including CMRL owner S Sasidharan Kartha. The alleged offences include misuse of official position, criminal conspiracy and the accumulation of assets disproportionate to known sources of income under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The second case names Riyas as the first accused and Veena as the second. It relates to ED findings alleging that Riyas had amassed illicit funds and transferred them abroad through hawala channels. Eight accused have been named in this case, including associates of Riyas. The report did not establish the final findings of the investigation or the role of each accused.
The High Court order directing the registration of the cases reached the Vigilance headquarters on Friday evening. Vigilance director Manoj Abraham subsequently ordered the registration after examining the ED reports and the court order. The FIRs were registered on Monday morning, while the agency is considering an appeal against the High Court order.
The development places the functioning of state anti-corruption institutions at the centre of the case. The Vigilance bureau is required to investigate allegations involving misuse of public office, financial transfers and possible criminal conspiracy, while the court directive determines that the allegations must move beyond a preliminary inquiry and enter the formal case process.
The alleged transactions span Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode, creating an investigation that may involve multiple locations, companies, financial records and witness statements. The Crime Branch special investigation team has handed over relevant records, including statements from associates of Riyas, to the Vigilance bureau.
The agency is expected to consider forming a special investigation team for the cases. The Vigilance director is likely to recommend its formation to the state government, according to the report. Further investigation, including examination of financial records and the evidence cited in the ED reports, will determine how the allegations proceed.
