ED says handwritten notes of Vijayan's daughter show ₹85 lakh Dubai transfer
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that searches have uncovered handwritten accounts maintained by T. Veena, daughter of Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, indicating an alleged transfer of ₹85 lakh to Dubai.
According to an ED release, the notes contain the names of persons, amounts handled and spent, besides the amount transferred to Dubai. The documents were seized during searches on May 27 at premises linked to Ms. Veena and promoters of Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL).
The agency alleged that Ms. Veena was one of the recipients of money from CMRL without rendering any services. It said all persons named in the handwritten accounts, and the person who provided the SIM card, were covered during the search.
Digital devices seized from Ms. Veena contained a photograph of a SIM card obtained in the name of another person for use in a Wi-Fi router. The agency suspects the SIM card and router were procured in another name to facilitate internet-based calls.
The ED also claimed to have found evidence of money transfers through hawala channels. It said the amounts recorded in Ms. Veena's handwritten accounts were over and above her known sources of income, including the amount she allegedly received from CMRL.
The Kochi zonal office of the ED had earlier conducted searches on nine premises in Kozhikode on August 18 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, in connection with alleged corporate fraud and bribery involving CMRL.
The investigation was launched following findings by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), which revealed fictitious cash expenses of ₹182 crore made by CMRL over a span of 15 years, allegedly used for bribing various persons. One of the fake expenses was payment to Ms. Veena's now defunct company, Exalogic Solutions Private Limited, which allegedly received ₹2.78 crore from CMRL under the guise of IT consultancy services. The SFIO had flagged these payments as part of a larger pattern of fictitious expenses.
The SFIO also alleged that Empower India Capital Investment Private Limited, operated by CMRL Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha, extended loans totalling ₹50 lakh to Exalogic despite the firm failing to make timely repayments.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president and Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph termed the ED's claim as "extremely serious" and demanded a response from Mr. Vijayan and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). There has been no official response from them so far.
The case has become a significant political issue in Kerala, with opposition parties alleging that the investigation has exposed financial impropriety linked to the family of the Leader of the Opposition. The allegations are part of an ongoing investigation and have not been proven in court. The ED said it will continue to probe the matter and take action as per law.
