The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has escalated its investigation in the Exalogic-CMRL case by summoning Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to appear before the agency on Friday. Additionally, eight officials of CMRL have also received summonses as part of a wider probe into alleged financial irregularities.
Following a high-level review in Kochi, ED Director Rahul Navin instructed investigators to expedite the case, leading to the issuance of summonses. The High Court Division Bench’s recent decision to allow the proceedings to continue has provided the agency with clearer procedural guidelines to move forward.
In a parallel development, the ED has initiated steps towards potentially confiscating Rs 18.36 crore from 242 frozen bank accounts, with one of these accounts reportedly linked to Veena Vijayan. The agency is also scrutinizing electronic evidence and banking records seized during recent raids.
Ahead of the scheduled questioning, the ED is contemplating inspecting Veena Vijayan’s bank lockers as part of its preparatory measures. The case revolves around allegations that CMRL made payments to Exalogic Solutions, a company associated with Veena Vijayan, for services that were purportedly not provided.
In a related update, a court in Kochi overseeing company law matters has directed the transfer of key documents from the SFIO charge sheet to the ED, enhancing the agency’s access to extensive records. A total of 134 documents spread across 54 volumes, including contracts, bank statements, and income tax records, are expected to be handed over to the agency.
Entities such as Exalogic, CMRL, and individuals like Sasidharan Kartha, along with Veena Vijayan, remain under investigation by the ED. The agency emphasizes that its focus is on tracing the flow of funds and verifying the nature of services associated with the transactions.
