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Pinarayi Vijayan’s government in Kerala landed in another problem after the Ministry of Corporate Affairs ordered an investigation into complaints about financial transactions between a Kochi-based private minerals company and an IT firm belonging to Chief Minister’s daughter Veena Vijayan.
The CPI(M) is receiving criticism as there is a growing chorus from the Opposition in the state demanding a response from the ruling Vijayan party about the alleged fraud in financial transactions.
Welcoming the Centre’s probe into complaints of violations by Veena Vijayan’s IT firm, Union Minister V Muraleedharan on Saturday said that this will expose CPI(M) Kerala’s “commission raj”.
Taking to X, he wrote, “This will book culprits who helped the Chief Minister’s daughter get a monthly commission without her company providing any service.”
The controversy erupted after reports emerged that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd paid Rs 1.72 crore to the CM’s daughter between 2017 and 2020.
The news report, citing the recent ruling of an Interim Board for Settlement, said the Kochi-based company previously had an agreement with Veena’s IT firm for consultancy and software support services.
Despite the fact that no service was rendered by her firm, the amount was paid on a monthly basis “due to her relationship with a prominent person”, the report had claimed, citing the deposition of the minerals company authorities before the Income Tax Department.
Earlier in December, the Kerala High Court on Friday issued a notice to Veena Vijayan and ten other people in connection with alleged financial transactions.
However, Kerala Chief Minister rubbished the charges and said the allegations were made to tarnish his image and defame him.
Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, in October last year, had lodged a complaint with the state Vigilance Director seeking a probe into a corruption allegation against the IT company owned by Veena.
CONGRESS DEMANDS RESPONSE FROM CPI(M)
Meanwhile, the Congress party demanded an explanation from Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) leadership and the state Industries Department after a probe was ordered into complaints of violations by an IT company run by Veena Vijayan.
Kuzhalnadan, who has been raising charges against Chief Minister Vijayan and his daughter on the issue for some time, on Saturday said it was the CPI(M) state secretariat which had issued a press statement defending Veena earlier when he had raised the allegations against her, IT company.
“In the press statement, they officially defended Veena saying it was a transparent dealing between two companies and there was nothing dubious in their transactions.
“So, I would like to know the reaction of the CPI (M) state secretariat on the matter in the present context,” Kuzhalnadan said as quoted by news agency PTI.
The Congress legislator also sought to know whether the Public Works Department Minister and Veena’s husband, PA Mohammed Riyas, viewed the Centre’s probe as a natural procedure.
He said as per his knowledge, besides Veena’s IT firm, a reply was sought by the Centre from the Kochi-based private minerals company and the state-run Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Limited (KSIDCL) also.
“By examining things so far, what I have understood is that a notice was served to all these three under Section 206 of the Companies Act, 2013 (Fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution). The present probe is ordered as the replies furnished by them were not satisfactory,” PTI said quoting Kuzhalnadan.
He further said state Industries Minister P Rajeev has the moral responsibility to explain to the public, under what circumstance the state-run KSIDC under his department was served notice by the Centre on the issue.
(With PTI inputs)
