Veena made transactions worth Rs 20.5 crore after marriage to Riyas; ED’s letter contains details of hawala transactions

KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) letter against Pinarayi Vijayan in the monthly payoff case also contains details of hawala transactions. The letter submitted by the ED says that Veena had conducted transactions amounting to Rs 20.5 crore and sent money abroad.

The transactions were after Veena’s marriage to Mohammed Riyas. The ED has handed over evidence, including bank records, to the Director General of Police (DGP). It is hinted that the money was transferred abroad for starting a business. A decision on whether to register a case will be taken only after a preliminary investigation.

The ED reportedly believes that the government may register an FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan and Mohammed Riyas under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The report contains sufficient evidence. The Advocate General (AG) and the DGP will jointly provide legal advice on the report.

Meantime, following the demand for registering cases against Pinarayi Vijayan and others, the ED will once again question officials of CMRL. Notices have been issued to senior employees, including former chief financial officer and chief general manager P Suresh Kumar, directing them to appear for questioning from Monday.

The ED is also expected to collect details regarding the amounts paid to people other than Veena. Proceedings have begun to summon for questioning P A Mohammed Riyas MLA, Veena’s husband and a member of the CPM state secretariat, whom the ED has alleged was involved in receiving bribes and transferring money to Dubai, along with his friends Shaijal Mohammed, P Nikhil, Hasan Waris, V P Faizal and M Nandulal. ED sources said notices would be issued to them shortly.