Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shone George expressed satisfaction with the Kerala High Court’s ruling permitting the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate the alleged monthly payment issue involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL). He emphasized that this decision highlighted the integrity of the Indian legal system. The case revolves around suspected illegal payments made to Veena Vijayan’s IT firm Exalogic by CMRL.
Shone George pointed out that the investigating agency did not require additional evidence in this matter following the division bench’s decision. He differentiated the case brought up by Congress leader Mathew Kuzhalnadan from the one he was pursuing, stressing that criminal offenses should not go unpunished. The BJP leader accused a company with state government shares of irregularities, alleging that the GST payment invoice was fraudulent and for services not rendered.
According to Shone George, Veena Vijayan was merely a middleman, and the actual responsibility lay elsewhere. He criticized the payments made by CMRL, claiming they were intended to secure unjust advantages and amounted to nepotism. The High Court dismissed CMRL’s appeal against the ED probe continuation, affirming the agency’s right to proceed with the investigation.
The court also turned down CMRL’s request for a two-week stay on the order to allow them to approach the Supreme Court. CMRL had argued that the ED could not investigate without registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), a claim the court found legally unsustainable. The petition challenging the ED probe was filed by CMRL Managing Director Sashidharan Kartha and five company officials, who alleged that their fundamental rights were being violated. The ED investigation focuses on alleged payments made by CMRL to various individuals and entities, sparking political interest due to financial transaction allegations involving the company and individuals associated with the ruling establishment.
