Veena Vijayan, daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is once again embroiled in controversy. In a recent development, the Kerala High Court has issued notices on a petition seeking CBI and ED investigation into the disputed deal involving Veena Vijayan, Exalogic Solutions, and CMRL.
Thiruvananthapuram: Veena Vijayan, daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, appears to be entangled in legal disputes once again. The Kerala High Court has issued notices to Veena Vijayan and other related parties regarding a petition filed concerning an alleged suspicious financial deal between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions Private Limited.
The notice was issued in response to a petition filed by Shone George, State Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seeking an independent investigation into the deal by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The petition alleges that transactions worth crores of rupees between Exalogic and CMRL are suspected of being fraudulent.
Role of the Petitioner and Judicial Process
The case was heard by Justice C.S. Dias of the High Court. Justice Dias stated that the petitioner, Shone George, is the original complainant based on whose complaint the SFIO (Serious Fraud Investigation Office) had already initiated an investigation. The SFIO is a special body of the Government of India that investigates complex and large financial frauds.
It is noteworthy that Shone George had previously filed a writ petition in the High Court in 2023 on the same issue, seeking an investigation into the transactions between Exalogic and CMRL. At that time, the court had ordered that the petitioner could approach the court again after the SFIO report was submitted. In May 2024, the court closed the case, stating that a fresh petition could be filed with new facts after the investigation was completed. Now, the same petition has been re-presented as a follow-up.
Involvement of Exalogic Solutions and Veena Vijayan
Veena Vijayan is the head of Exalogic Solutions, a company that provides IT and technology solutions. According to the allegations, the company received payments from CMRL for services that were never actually provided. Questions are being raised about the associated financial documents and transactions.
CMRL is a mining company headquartered in Kerala that supplies raw materials to several large industrial groups. The petition also alleges that the said transaction involves a conflict of interest and potential abuse of power, as Veena is the daughter of the state's Chief Minister. This matter is becoming politically sensitive. The opposition has already been accusing the Pinarayi Vijayan government of nepotism and corruption. The BJP and other opposition parties may use this issue as a major weapon in the upcoming elections.
