Evidence of hawala transactions in Veena’s ‘red book’; Mohammed Riyas has key role, says ED

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stated that documents seized from Veena, daughter of opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan, in the monthly payoff case contain evidence of money laundering. In the letter submitted to the Director General of Police (DGP), the ED also stated that Veena’s husband and former minister, Mohammed Riyas, has a key role in the hawala transactions.

The ED also handed over copies of notes written by Veena to the police. Veena had admitted that she herself had written the notes. The documents were seized during the raid conducted on May 27 at the rented house in Thiruvananthapuram where Veena had stayed with Pinarayi. Pinarayi had denied allegations that a red diary belonging to Veena was found during the raid. The ED has now brought forward what it describes as evidence from the ‘Red Book’.

The ED alleged that Riyas’s friends and staff members were also involved in the money-laundering transactions. It further alleged that a 16-member WhatsApp group was created for this purpose. The group was named ‘Nammal Beypore Core Team’. The ED pointed that one of the numbers in the group was saved under the name ‘Minister Riyas’.

The ED said there is concrete evidence for money transferring abroad. The letter also mentions Veena’s visit to Dubai in May 2024. ED says that Veena and Riyas visited Dubai for the purpose of laundering money. The letter states that they attempted to establish a benami company in Dubai under the guise of a garment business.

The ED’s letter alleged that, with Riyas’s full knowledge, transactions including hawala dealings were carried out through his friends from July 2024 to July 2025. The ED has submitted a 25-page letter to the state police chief.