New Delhi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter is under investigation after complaints about alleged fraud within Veena Vijayan's company. The probe has put the ruling CPI(M) in a fix as it gears up for the campaign ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
The probe was ordered by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to investigate complaints about illegal transactions between a private company and Ms Veena's IT firm. Ministry officials confirmed that a joint director at the Office of the Director General of Corporate Affairs had ordered the probe.
According to local media reports, the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd allegedly paid Rs 1.72 crore to the Chief Minister's daughter. The payments were made between 2017 and 2020.
The minerals firm had an agreement with Ms Veena's firm for consultancy and software support services. But no service was provided by Ms Veena's firm.
Yet the Kochi-based company made monthly payments "due to her relationship with a prominent person", the report claimed, citing the deposition of the minerals company authorities before the Income Tax Department.
Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan rubbished the charges and said the allegations were made to tarnish his image and defame him.
Union Minister V Muraleedharan targetted the Kerala government saying that the probe will expose their "commission raj".
"This will book culprits who helped the Chief Minister's daughter get a monthly commission without her company providing any service," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
In December, the Kerala High Court issued a notice to Veena Vijayan and ten other people in connection with alleged financial transactions.