Monthly payment case: Trouble mounts for Pinarayi Vijayan following former CMRL CFO's statement

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) report submitted to the police chief on the alleged receipt of a Rs 3.28 crore bribe from Kochi-based CMRL contains serious findings and evidence.

Sources within the Home Department said the ED report suggests Veena may have received the money on behalf of then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The statement given by the former Chief Financial Officer of CMRL implicates Pinarayi; however, the report notes that CMRL Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha stated he had no detailed knowledge of the matter.

Consequently, Home Secretary Minhaj Alam has primarily sought the Advocate General's (AG) advice on whether charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act would be legally sustainable. Since Pinarayi Vijayan and Mohammed Riyas are elected representatives, the Vigilance Department requires government sanction to conduct an investigation or register a case. While a preliminary inquiry is mandatory before a Vigilance case is registered, the AG has also been asked whether this step is necessary given the existence of the ED report, which already contains evidence. The ED report was submitted under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This section empowers the ED to share information regarding other legal violations—discovered during a money laundering investigation—with the relevant investigative agency.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala met Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan for about 45 minutes on Tuesday night. Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty also met the Chief Minister on Wednesday.