Kerala High Court Sends Notices to 12, Including CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Veena Vijayan, in Illegal Financial Dealings Case

The Kerala High Court has issued notices to 12 individuals, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena Vijayan, in response to a petition seeking a vigilance probe into the controversy surrounding illegal financial dealings related to Veena’s company. The petitioner, social activist Gireesh Babu, had sought an investigation into the alleged illegal financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Veena’s firm, Exalogic Solutions. The controversy emerged after reports claimed that CMRL had paid Rs 1.72 crore to Veena Vijayan’s firm between 2017 and 2020. The high court’s decision to issue notices rekindles the debate over political and financial accountability, with opposition leader V D Satheesan accusing the Enforcement Directorate of neglecting the case due to alleged political alignments.

In response to the high court’s notice, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan dismissed concerns, telling reporters not to worry about it. The court’s move comes after the Vigilance Special Court, Muvattupuzha, had dismissed a plea for an investigation into the alleged illegal financial transactions, citing a lack of evidence. The controversy revolves around a Malayalam daily’s report that CMRL had paid Rs 1.72 crore to Veena Vijayan’s company without any apparent services rendered. The high court’s intervention may lead to further scrutiny of the allegations and could have implications for the political landscape in Kerala.