Justice A Badharudeen of the Kerala High Court in Thiruvananthapuram struck down the state government's attempt to delay action, ordering police to file an FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T, and her husband P A Mohamed Riyas. The court acted on a plea filed by advocate K M Shajahan, who argued that the Enforcement Directorate’s findings were sufficient grounds for immediate case registration rather than a time-consuming preliminary inquiry.
The ED had previously submitted a report to the State Police Chief, claiming its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act revealed that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) funnelled ₹2.78 crore to Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct firm owned by Veena T. The agency alleged these transfers were fraudulent payments disguised as 'IT consultancy services.' The UDF government had initially opposed this, insisting the ED report lacked the evidentiary weight to bypass a standard police inquiry.
The legal battle hinged on whether the ED’s report could be treated as a valid preliminary inquiry itself. The court sided with the petitioner, effectively validating the ED’s evidentiary basis. This ruling bypasses the bureaucratic hurdle the state government sought to create, forcing police to move directly to case registration. A detailed judgment explaining the legal reasoning is still awaited.
For Vijayan, a key figure in Kerala’s political landscape, this marks a significant legal escalation in the CMRL bribery allegations. The probe now shifts from investigative scrutiny to formal criminal proceedings against the former Chief Minister and his immediate family members.
Police are now legally mandated to draft and register the FIR immediately. The next step will be the formal questioning of the accused under the applicable anti-corruption and money laundering laws, with the detailed court order expected to clarify the specific sections under which the case will be registered.