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CPI(M) seeks apology from Cong MLA over graft allegation against Vijayan’s daughter
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday demanded that Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan apologise to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter T Veena for “raising false corruption charges” against the latter
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday demanded that Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan apologise to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter T Veena for “raising false corruption charges” against the latter in connection with the payments made by a private minerals firm to Veena and the IT firm she owns.
CPI (M) central committee member and former minister AK Balan made the demand after a recent communication from the state goods and services tax department stating that Veena’s firm Exalogic Solutions Private Limited had paid the required Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) for the payments to the tune of ₹1.72 crore it received from the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL). The letter reportedly didn’t mention the tax amount the firm paid.
Balan while talking to the reporters on Sunday said, “He (Kuzhalnadan) should apologise to the CM and his family at least once. When he first made the allegations, I had told him that Veena and her firm had remitted the required income tax and GST. The GST commissioner in Kerala and Karnataka have examined financial details of both companies and submitted a report to the finance ministry. The ministry informed the same to Kuzhalnadan as well.”
Kuzhalnadan should tender his apology and move on, Balan added.
Replying to the same, Kuzhalnadan, a first-time MLA, said, “I am aware of the claims I made and have not forgotten them. I will not run away from them. I have got the finance department’s response. Let the public hear what I have to say and then draw their conclusions.”
He alleged whether Veena and her firm paid the required IGST is just one part of the main issue as the minerals firm made monthly payments. “... the money she and her firm got (from CMRL) is corrupt money which was used for illegal enrichment. The money was illegally paid. We must not forget that,” he said.
The Congress MLA had lodged a complaint with the director of the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau (VACB) on October 5 seeking a probe against Vijayan and Veena in connection with the payments made by CMRL to her firm over a span of three years.
In July, it was reported that the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board had ruled that CMRL could not claim the payments made to Veena’s firm as ‘business expense’ while filing ITR as Exalogic had not rendered the services. The IT firm owned by Veena had signed an agreement with CMRL in 2017 for giving IT, marketing consultancy and software services.
The Congress and the BJP had then raised the issue, asking why payments were made to Veena’s firm over three years despite services not being rendered.
