LoP Pinarayi Vijayan alleges ED move in Exalogic case aimed at weakening LDF

Alappuzha: Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday alleged that the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation into the CMRL-Exalogic case was politically motivated and aimed at weakening the LDF and the CPM.

Addressing the first meeting of the district leadership forum in Alappuzha, Pinarayi accused the BJP and RSS of targeting the CPM and the LDF, while alleging that the UDF was supporting the move. He said the LDF would strongly oppose what he described as politically motivated efforts against the party.

Questioning the allegations against his daughter Veena’s IT firm Exalogic, Pinarayi said the company had provided services to several clients and had paid all taxes legally due. He alleged that the ED’s investigation appeared to be focused on him rather than the company’s activities, The New Indian Express reported.

Pinarayi also questioned why a service provided by one company to another under a legally executed contract should be treated as an offence.

He said Exalogic’s clients were not limited to CMRL and referred to an ED inquiry into a payment related to services provided to a school run by a prominent charitable organisation in Kerala. According to Pinarayi, the agency had sought to link that transaction to services allegedly provided to a terrorist organisation but failed to establish such a connection.

Pinarayi further pointed out that the agreement between Exalogic and CMRL had been signed several years before Veena’s marriage and that the payments cited in the case had been received before the marriage.

Around 130 elected party representatives are participating in the district leadership forum, which is scheduled to conclude on Sunday.