Pinarayi Vijayan faces Enforcement Directorate money‑laundering probe over payments to daughter
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a money‑laundering case involving Kerala Metro Rail (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, a firm run by the daughter of former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, T. Veena. Sasidharan Kartha, managing director of CMRL, told the ED that payments to Veena’s firm were made solely because of his personal proximity to Vijayan, and that neither Veena nor Exalogic provided any services despite receiving monthly transfers.
The ED says roughly ₹45 lakh was paid to Veena between January and October 2017 without any invoice, and is preparing to question Vijayan as a suspect. Exalogic’s financial statements show a turnover of only ₹5 lakh with losses of ₹66 lakh, heavily reliant on CMRL funds. The agency has frozen Veena’s personal bank deposits of about ₹1.37 lakh and other accounts, as well as assets of Kartha’s family totalling around ₹29 crore. Veena’s stake in Laker India Corporation has also been seized, with ₹1.56 million frozen in that company’s account.
Attachments and asset seizures extend to multiple companies linked to the case, and the ED’s report to the adjudicating authority cites Kartha’s statement as a pivotal piece of evidence, signalling a decisive phase in the investigation.
Entities: Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) · Exalogic Solutions · Pinarayi Vijayan · Sasidharan Kartha · T. Veena Vijayan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The ED has frozen Veena’s personal bank deposits of about ₹1.37 lakh and other accounts totalling roughly ₹15.5 lakh. (ED asset‑seizure orders)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Sasidharan Kartha told the Enforcement Directorate that payments to T. Veena’s firm Exalogic Solutions were made because of his personal proximity to Pinarayi Vijayan. (ED investigation statements)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately ₹45 lakh was transferred to Veena between January and October 2017 without any invoice. (ED financial findings)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Enforcement Directorate is preparing to question Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the CMRL‑Exalogic payments. (ED investigative plans)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Kartha’s statement to the ED formed a key piece of evidence in the money‑laundering case. (ED investigative report)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The ED has frozen assets worth about ₹29 crore belonging to Sasidharan Kartha and members of his family. (ED asset‑seizure orders)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Exalogic Solutions had a turnover of ₹5 lakh and reported losses of ₹66 lakh, relying heavily on CMRL funds. (ED financial analysis)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Veena holds a stake in Laker India Corporation, whose bank account was frozen with ₹1,557,414. (ED investigation findings)