Veena Vijayan summoned for second ED questioning in Kerala Exalogic money‑laundering probe

Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Kochi for a second round of questioning, arriving about four days ahead of the scheduled date. Accompanied by her husband, Kerala minister P. A. Mohammed Riyas, she was interrogated for over 10 hours about payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) to her defunct IT firm Exalogic Solutions.

The ED is probing whether the monthly consultancy fees—approximately Rs 1.72 crore paid between 2017 and 2020—were linked to favours or concessions granted by the state government during the first Vijayan administration. Investigators have obtained 134 annexures from the Serious Fraud Investigation Office charge sheet and are examining financial records, banking transactions and the consultancy agreement for possible quid‑pro‑quo arrangements. Veena maintains the contract was regular, while opposition parties allege political misuse of public funds. The agency indicated she may be summoned again as the probe intensifies.

The case, initially flagged by the Income Tax Settlement Commission, has become a focal point of political controversy in Kerala, with the former chief minister denying any wrongdoing and asserting the investigation is politically motivated.