The Ernakulam Additional Sessions Court (Court No. 7) has, on Friday, admitted the prosecution’s complaint (chargesheet) filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) against Veena Thaikkandiyil, daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and others in the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) pay-off case

The chargesheet has been accepted by the court after it found that prima-facie offence was made out against the accused after perusing the final complaint filed by the investigation agency. The court also found the prosecution complaint free of any defects.

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The court’s next step is to issue summons to the accused in the case, including Veena. The complaint would be assigned a number before notice is issued to the accused.

On April 2, the SFIO filed the prosecution complaint(chargesheet) at the Ernakulam Principal District Sessions court against Veena Vijayan, her company Exalogic Solutions, CMRL Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha, and others. The court, on April 4, handed over the prosecution complaint to the district and sessions court (Court No.7) which is the trial court in the case.

Veena has been booked under Section 447. The offense is punishable with imprisonment for a term of at least six months, which may extend up to ten years.

The chargesheet accuses Veena of fraudulent payment of Rs 2.7 crore made by CMRL to her company, without providing any services.

Earlier on Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) approached the court for a copy of the prosecution complaint(chargesheet). Now that the ED will get a copy of the prosecution complaint it is planning to register a fresh Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against the chief minister’s daughter, along with others.