Kerala Home Dept Reviews AG Opinion on ED Plea Against Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the Home Department is examining the Advocate General's legal opinion on the ED's request to register a case against Pinarayi Vijayan and two relatives.
The Kerala Home Department is scrutinising the Advocate General's legal opinion on a request by the Enforcement Directorate to register a corruption case against Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena and his son-in-law and MLA P.A. Mohamed Riyas.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told reporters on Saturday that the opinion reached the government on Friday evening and was under examination. A decision on the next course of action would be taken after consulting Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, he said.
Asked about reports that the Advocate General had favoured registering a case on the basis of the ED's recommendation, Mr. Chennithala said he had not yet gone through the opinion, as he received it only after leaving office on Friday. He indicated that further decisions would be taken on Monday or Tuesday in view of the intervening holidays.
On whether the Chief Minister would take up the matter during a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, Mr. Chennithala said no such discussion was necessary and that the issue was one to be settled in the state.
The ED recently wrote to State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar seeking an FIR against Mr. Vijayan, Ms. Veena, Mr. Riyas and some others in connection with the alleged CMRL bribery case. The agency said its request rested on evidence gathered during its probe and searches carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The ED has alleged that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Ms. Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, shown as charges for IT consultancy services.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby alleged that the ED's move was directed at the CPI(M) and specifically at Mr. Vijayan, describing him as the party's most prominent former Chief Minister and its Leader of the Opposition. He further alleged that the BJP leadership was now focusing on Kerala and would receive the support and cooperation of the Congress and the UDF in its efforts to make inroads into the state. Mr. Baby cited the BJP's rise to power in Tripura and West Bengal, which he said had come about with the help of local Congress units.