- Veena Vijayan summoned by ED for questioning in CMRL-Exalogic financial case
- Nine individuals, including CMRL officials, received summons from the Enforcement Directorate
- ED seized documents and froze Rs 18 crore across 242 bank accounts in recent raids
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Kerala chief minister and current Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan, in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic financial transactions case.
As per sources, the agency has directed Veena Vijayan to appear before its Kochi office on Friday for questioning. Summons have been issued to nine people, including Veena and officials associated with Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), sources said.
The case deals with alleged fraudulent transactions made between the Veena-owned Exalogic, an IT firm hired by minerals company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL).
The latest move comes days after the ED conducted searches at multiple locations linked to Veena Vijayan, Exalogic and others connected to the case. Investigators are likely to confront those summoned with documents and digital evidence seized during the raids.
The agency's action also follows a significant legal setback for CMRL. A special court dealing with corporate offences recently rejected the company's plea against sharing key documents with the ED and permitted investigators to access records attached to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) report.
Among the documents sought by the ED are the agreement between Veena and CMRL, income tax records and other financial documents related to the transactions under scrutiny. The SFIO informed the court that there was no legal obstacle to handing over the records sought by the agency.
Sources indicate that the ED has already collected substantial documentary, digital and financial evidence as part of the investigation. Officials are now expected to focus on examining individuals linked to the transactions and verifying the flow of funds.
The probe has gathered pace after the agency froze nearly Rs 18 crore across 242 bank accounts during the recent searches. One of the frozen accounts is linked to Veena and reportedly contains around Rs 1.5 lakh.
The investigation has also triggered a political storm in Kerala. CPM and Left Democratic Front workers staged protests against the ED action, alleging political targeting. Demonstrations outside locations searched by the agency turned violent in Thiruvananthapuram, with police registering cases against around 300 people and arresting five.
The FIR filed by ED officials alleges attacks on agency personnel, police officers and CRPF personnel during the protests. The Kerala government has defended the police response, while the Opposition has accused the ruling front of attempting to obstruct the investigation.
With the summons now issued and key records set to be examined, the focus shifts to Friday's questioning, which is expected to be a crucial step in the ED's probe into the CMRL-Exalogic transactions.
