Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has ordered a police investigation into allegations that former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan received a ₹3.28 crore bribe from a private mining company. The directive follows a request from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking action against Vijayan, his daughter Veena and son-in-law Mohammed Riyas.
According to the allegations, the payment was made in 2017 to Veena’s firm, Exalogic, during the period when the Left Democratic Front (LDF) was in power in Kerala from 2016 to 2026, with Vijayan as Chief Minister. The mining firm named in the complaint is Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL).
The ED, after conducting its inquiry, claimed the transactions were routed through what it described as sham agreements between the two companies for IT consultancy and software support services. The agency further alleged that the funds were subsequently sent abroad through hawala channels.
In a letter to the state Director General of Police, the ED said evidence gathered during searches and investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act warranted registration of a case against Vijayan, Veena and Mohammed Riyas.
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said that, based on the ED’s report, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has instructed the state police to take up the investigation.
