Kerala's UDF government, led by Chief Minister V D Satheesan, on Tuesday ordered a police inquiry into allegations that former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T, and son‑in‑law P A Mohamed Riyas received a 2.78‑crore bribe from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the state had reviewed a legal opinion from the Advocate General and decided to entrust the Director General of Police (DGP) with the investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate had sent a letter to State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar seeking an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act, citing evidence gathered during its PMLA probe and searches in June. The letter alleged that CMRL made fraudulent payments to Veena's now‑defunct company Exalogic Solutions, disguising them as "IT consultancy services." Veena was living with Vijayan at a rented flat in Thiruvananthapuram during the searches.
Chennithala highlighted that the legal opinion was grounded in two Supreme Court judgments that require law‑enforcement agencies to act on information they receive and allow preliminary inquiries when a cognisable offence is not clearly disclosed. He cited Section 66(2) of the PMLA and the Lalita Kumari case, which permits such inquiries in corruption cases.
The inquiry will be conducted by the Crime Branch wing of the state police without registering an FIR. The DGP will decide the further course of action after reviewing the findings.
The DGP is set to issue the official order within minutes; once issued, the Crime Branch will begin its investigation, and the outcome will determine whether charges are filed or the matter is dropped.