SC rejects Cong MLA’s plea for probe against Kerala CM’s daughter’s firm

Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with a Kerala High Court order dismissing a plea for further investigation into alleged fraudulent financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, an IT company owned by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter, Veena Vijayan.

Presiding over a two-judge bench alongside Justice K Vinod Chandran, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai told petitioner Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, “We have been consistently saying, fight your political battles before the electorate and not in the Court.”

Senior Advocate Guru Krishnakumar, representing Kuzhalnadan, argued that “the high court at some stage finds that there is something to be looked at.” Justice Chandran countered, stating that the high court had not made such a finding.

Krishnakumar highlighted that there was indeed a contract between CMRL and Exalogic, and that Rs 1.72 crore had been paid to the IT company. He noted that CMRL had admitted before the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board that no services were rendered by Exalogic.

“The high court says this creates suspicion but also says that the complaint at the pre-cognizance stage must be such that it must be proven facts,” Krishnakumar said, adding that the high court erred in insisting on “proven facts” at this early stage.

CJI Gavai, however, reiterated, “Don’t use the Court’s forum for political battles.”

The Congress MLA had initially approached the vigilance court seeking a probe into allegations that CMRL was paying a monthly sum to Veena Vijayan and her company without any services being provided, claiming that the payments were made to secure favours from the chief minister. After the vigilance court rejected the request, the MLA had moved the Kerala High Court, which also dismissed the plea.