ED summons Veena Vijayan in CMRL-Exalogic money laundering probe
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, in connection with its ongoing investigation into the alleged CMRL-Exalogic financial transactions case.
According to sources, the agency has directed Veena Vijayan to appear before its Kochi office on Friday for questioning. The ED has also issued summons to eight other individuals, including officials associated with Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), as part of the widening probe.
The investigation centres on alleged financial transactions between Exalogic Solutions, an IT firm owned by Veena Vijayan, and CMRL. The agency is examining whether the payments and business arrangements between the entities involved any proceeds of crime or violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The summons come days after the ED conducted searches at multiple locations linked to Veena Vijayan, Exalogic and other individuals connected to the case. Investigators are expected to confront those summoned with documents, digital records and financial evidence recovered during the raids.
The agency’s action follows a recent setback for CMRL after a special court handling corporate offence cases rejected the company's plea against sharing documents with the ED. The court also permitted investigators to access records attached to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) report, which forms a key component of the probe.
Among the documents sought by the ED are agreements between Exalogic and CMRL, income tax filings, financial statements and other records related to the transactions under scrutiny. The SFIO reportedly informed the court that there was no legal impediment to providing the requested records to the agency.
Sources said the ED has already gathered substantial documentary, digital and financial evidence and is now focusing on examining individuals connected to the transactions and tracing the movement of funds. The agency recently froze nearly ₹18 crore spread across 242 bank accounts during searches linked to the investigation. One of the frozen accounts reportedly belongs to Veena Vijayan and contains approximately ₹1.5 lakh.
The investigation has sparked a political controversy in Kerala, with the CPI(M) and the Left Democratic Front alleging political vendetta and misuse of central agencies. Protests were staged by Left workers outside locations searched by the ED, with some demonstrations turning violent in Thiruvananthapuram.
The ED has alleged that its officials, along with police and CRPF personnel, were attacked during the protests. Cases have been registered against hundreds of protesters, while several arrests have been made.
With questioning scheduled later this week and access to key financial records now secured, the ED’s examination of Veena Vijayan is expected to be a significant development in the ongoing CMRL-Exalogic money laundering investigation.
