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Satheesan: Will examine ED’s call for FIR against Vijayan
Keralam chief minister VD Satheesan said that his government will legally examine the Enforcement Directorate’s communication to the state DGP seeking an FIR against former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and son-in-law and CPI(M) MLA PA Mohammed Riyas in the CMRL-linked alleged bribery case
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Keralam chief minister VD Satheesan said that his government will legally examine the Enforcement Directorate’s communication to the state DGP seeking an FIR against former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and son-in-law and CPI(M) MLA PA Mohammed Riyas in the CMRL-linked alleged bribery case.
Meanwhile, LoP Vijayan termed the ED’s allegations “baseless” and claimed that he has been “persecuted” by federal agencies for a long time.
At a press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, Satheesan said that the ED reached out to the DGP citing section 66(2) of the PMLA.
“On this matter, the State government will take action after examining the necessary legal aspects of the case. There is no politics in it. The law will take its own course,” he said.
“The ED communication contains evidence that it has collected so far in the case. There are details regarding some other cases too. Legal scrutiny will have to be done. Can a state government send back the ED report as it is?” he asked.
It is learnt that the home department has sought legal advice from the Attorney General on the matter.When reporters queried him about reports of other political leaders, including Congress leader and current home minister Ramesh Chennithala, having allegedly received bribes from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) in the past, the CM said, “Political parties may get funding from firms and companies. This is a different case.”
Vijayan said his daughter Veena’s now-defunct firm Exalogic Solutions entered into a legal agreement with CMRL and was paid for the services it rendered to the minerals manufacturer. The payments, he said, were received through proper digital channels.
“The media are now reporting that Veena received money on my behalf and routed it abroad with the help of Riyas. At the time the transactions took place, Riyas was not married to Veena and was not even in the picture,” he said. “I am an open book and the people here are aware of the life I led. Your lies, hatred and revenge cannot destroy my personal life. Such claims cannot destroy me or the party. We will fight them legally and politically.”
