Southwest Monsoon likely to arrive in Kerala on June 4; IMD warns of week-long heavy rainfall
Several Kerala districts are already under weather alerts as the IMD forecasts thunderstorms, gusty winds and widespread rainfall during the coming week.
In a significant development in the ongoing monthly pay-off case, reports indicate that the Enforcement Directorate is planning to register a fresh Enforcement Case Information Report against Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter based on the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) report in the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd case .
The ECIR is almost similar to a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police for cognizable offences.
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According to sources, the ED has sought documents from the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), and the ED officials believe the matter also falls within the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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In March 2024, the ED registered an ECIR based on a report by the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board (ITISB). The ITISB report stated that Veena and her company had received Rs.1.72 crore from the CMRL.
Shone George, BJP leader and son of former MLA P C George also moved the ED seeking a probe into Veena’s Information Technology (IT) firm Exalogic Solutions Private Limited
The ECIR filed by the ED was later challenged in the Kerala High Court because there was no predicate offence and the ED’s investigation was not active. Sources indicate that the SFIO’s complaint, based on its final report, can now be treated as a predicate offence—enabling the ED to move forward with its investigation.
They added that once the ED receives the complaint, it is expected to register a new ECIR and merge it with the existing one.It is learnt that the ED director has examined the matter and has given permission to file a new case against Veena.
. Sources said that the ED will initiate legal proceedings against Veena Vijayan after receiving and examining the relevant documents from the SFIO.
Last week, as the Ministry of Corporate Affairs granted permission to prosecute Veena and , others .The SFIO has filed the prosecution complaint(charge sheet ) at the Principal District Sessions court, Kochi against Veena Vijayan, her company Exalogic Solutions, CMRL
Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha and others. The Principal District Sessions court, Kochi on April 4 handed over the prosecution complaint to the Additional District and Sessions Court, Kochi, which is the trial court in the case.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the probe by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in the CMRL pay-off case
On Wednesday, when the case was taken up for hearing, the counsel for SFIO pointed out that the charge sheet has already been filed at a court in Kochi.At this, the court said that there is nothing else to be done.
As the judge was closing the case, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner CMRL, pointed out that when this case was previously heard by Justice Subramaniom Prasad, the SFIO had orally informed the court that they would not take further action.
The court, after perusal of the file, pointed out that there is no mention of such a thing according to the judicial records before the court. Since Sibal reiterated the oral observation, the court decided to repost the case before Justice Prasad on April 22.
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