CPI(M) says ED case against Pinarayi Vijayan, son-in-law 'politically motivated', vows legal fight
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved to register a corruption case against former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his son-in-law P.A. Mohamed Riyas in connection with the Exalogic-CMRL deal, according to Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary M.V. Govindan. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr. Govindan described the agency's action as "politically motivated" and aimed at Mr. Vijayan, who is the Leader of the Opposition, and Mr. Riyas, a CPI(M) State secretariat member. He said the party would fight the case legally and politically.
Mr. Govindan questioned whether the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala, which he claimed was under a cloud over its alleged nexus with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), would act on the ED's request. "The Congress is opposed to the misuse of central agencies for political ends at the national level. Whether the UDF government here will oblige the ED and launch an anti-corruption case against Mr. Vijayan and Mr. Riyas is something the State is waiting to see," he said.
Giving details of the case, Mr. Govindan said that ever since the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) began pursuing it, the CPI(M) State Committee knew who the real target was and had taken a strong stand against it. He said the agency claimed to have found a diary containing donations of ₹182 crore made by Kochi-based CMRL, and the list of names included the late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty.
Mr. Vijayan's daughter T. Veena's company had received money in return for services rendered to CMRL and had paid tax on the income, Mr. Govindan said. The fact that this transaction alone was singled out for investigation clearly smacked of political vendetta, he argued. He said it was ironical that the ED's letter seeking registration of a corruption case was now in front of Mr. Chennithala.
Mr. Govindan argued that for a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act to hold, there must be something to suggest that Mr. Vijayan, as Chief Minister, extended undue favours to the company. "There is none," he said, adding that the mala fide allegation was made only because Ms. Veena is Mr. Vijayan's daughter.
He also noted that Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and BJP leader Shone George had moved court levelling allegations, but the court found no merit in them. The case against the "baseless" findings of the SFIO inquiry is pending before the Delhi High Court. The ED's latest move stemmed from the realisation that the case would be dismissed soon, he maintained.
Citing the Karuvannur Service Co-operative Bank case, Mr. Govindan accused the ED of making real wrongdoers approvers to fix senior CPI(M) leaders. He alleged that the same modus operandi could be behind the current case, which reportedly hinges on a statement made by a CMRL employee.
Mr. Govindan further said central agencies were used to persecute and imprison former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was later discharged by a court. In states like Assam and West Bengal, these agencies were weaponised to drive political defections, he claimed.
