CMRL case: ED seeks FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena, Riyas
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Thiruvananthapuram: In a potentially explosive political development that could strike at the heart of the CPI-M leadership in Kerala, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday asked the state police chief to register an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena, and her husband and former minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas in connection with the CMRL monthly payment case.
The timing of the ED's move could prove particularly damaging for the CPI-M. The agency's letter to DGP Ravada Chandrasekhar became public as the party's top state leadership was holding a closed-door meeting to finalise preparations for its three-day extended state committee meeting, beginning Saturday in Kozhikode, where around 300 party leaders are expected to deliberate on the CPI-M's stunning electoral debacle.
The ED has not merely sought registration of a case against Vijayan. It has also forwarded details of evidence gathered during its investigation into the CMRL-Exalogic transactions to the DGP and sought action under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Veena and Riyas.
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the police chief had informed him that the letter had reached his office.
"I spoke to the state police chief. He told me 10 minutes ago that he had received the letter from the ED. Now he will have to look into it and decide the course of action. We will wait for him to act," he said.
The DGP has indicated that the letter will first be examined before a decision is taken on further action. The communication is also expected to be forwarded to the state government, with the possibility of the government seeking legal advice before deciding on the next course of action.
The ED's demand assumes significance as its investigation into alleged financial transactions between CMRL and Veena's IT firm, Exalogic Solutions, has already brought Kerala's political first family under scrutiny.
The central agency has alleged that the payments were not linked to any genuine services and has relied on statements, documents and digital evidence collected during its probe.
The latest move could now put the UDF government in a politically sensitive position. Registering an FIR against Vijayan would mark a dramatic escalation in a controversy that has dogged the former Chief Minister and his family. On the other hand, a decision not to act could expose the Congress-led government to accusations from the BJP that it is shielding the former Chief Minister.
The development is particularly significant as the CPI-M enters a crucial period of internal introspection following its crushing performance in the Assembly election.
The extended state committee meeting in Kozhikode is expected to examine the reasons for the defeat, organisational weaknesses and the political strategy adopted by the party leadership.
The ED development therefore threatens to overshadow what was intended to be an exercise in analysing the party's electoral setback. It also puts the CPI-M leadership on the defensive even before the extended state committee begins its deliberations.
BJP state Vice President Shone George, the primary petitioner in the case, said the latest development had raised questions over Vijayan's continuation as Leader of the Opposition.
"The need of the hour is for Vijayan to realise that he has no moral ground to remain as Leader of the Opposition and quit. This post has been occupied by giants in the CPI-M. He has no other option but to resign," George said.
The ED's letter could thus open a new political front for the UDF government even as it presents the CPI-M with an additional challenge at a particularly vulnerable moment.
The party is preparing to account internally for its electoral collapse, while its former Chief Minister and current Leader of the Opposition faces a fresh demand for criminal proceedings from a central investigative agency.
The political stakes are further heightened by the fact that the allegations now encompass Vijayan, his daughter Veena and Riyas, who was a minister in the previous government and is now an MLA.
Any decision by the state police or government on the ED's request is consequently likely to have repercussions well beyond the legal process.
For the CPI-M, the timing could prove particularly uncomfortable as its senior leadership prepares to debate why the party suffered such a severe electoral setback. The controversy surrounding its most prominent leader has once again returned to centre stage, with the ED seeking registration of a formal criminal case.
With IANS inputs