CMRL case: Kerala HC puts VACB probe against Pinarayi, Riyas on hold

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered a four-week pause in the investigation into two FIRs registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and MLA Mohammad Riyas in the CMRL-Exalogic monthly payoff case, granting temporary relief to the accused, according to On Manorama.

A Division Bench comprising Justices K Natarajan and Johnson John said the matter required a detailed hearing and scheduled the next hearing for November 26, following directions from the Supreme Court.

The court has not stayed the FIRs, registered by the VACB on October 12 under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, but has ordered the investigation to remain in abeyance for four weeks.

The Supreme Court on October 21 set aside an earlier Single Bench judgment and allowed Pinarayi and the other appellants to pursue their appeals before the Division Bench. It had also temporarily stayed the investigation for 10 days, clarifying that its order did not constitute a final view on interim relief or the validity of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) ECIRs.

During Monday’s hearing, the defence argued that the original petitioner, K M Shahjahan, had bypassed the appropriate procedure and that the accused had not been heard before the Single Bench ordered FIR registration. The defence also questioned whether the allegations disclosed a cognisable offence.

The Advocate General said the state had initially opted for a preliminary inquiry based on information from the ED before complying with the court’s direction to register FIRs. The ED, meanwhile, maintained that its report contained sufficient material indicating a cognisable offence.

The order gives Pinarayi and the others temporary relief as the legal battle continues.