KOCHI: The High Court decided to hear all the opposition sides in the monthly pay-off case. The court also directed all the opposing parties including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena, Exalogic Company owned by Veena, and CMRL to file counter affidavits. The petition was considered by a bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji.

Journalist MR Ajayan approached the court, alleging that Pinarayi Vijayan took bribes from CMRL using Veena as a shield. It was Ajayan who filed the petition demanding a CBI probe into the case. The petitioner said that the Interim Settlement Board's order confirmed irregularities and thus demanded a CBI investigation into the matter.

The case, considered by another bench, was later transferred to the Chief Justice's bench. When the case was considered last time, the division bench demanded the list of those mentioned in the Interim Settlement Board's order.

However, the central government informed the court today that it was up to the Income Tax Department to submit the list. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) had filed a report naming Veena, her firm, CMRL company MD and officials as accused in the CMRL-Exalogic monthly payoff case.

Veena's Exalogic company had a liability of Rs 66 lakh per year. Later, the company started dealings with CMRL, which eventually turned out to be their main source of income. Transactions were made with CMRL from 2017 to 2019. Rs 5 lakh per month came from CMRL to Veena. The chargesheet also states that Rs 3 lakh per month came to the company's name. The SFIO filed the chargesheet in the Ernakulam Additional Sessions Court.