CMRL pay-off case: ED to receive SFIO charge-sheet naming Kerala CM’s daughter

Kochi: The Ernakulam Sessions Court has ordered to hand over the charge-sheet prepared by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in the CMRL pay-off case, which names Veena Vijayan, daughter of the Chief Minister, among the accused, to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED had earlier filed a plea in the court seeking the same. 

ED seeks relevant documents from SFIO

According to a senior ED official, a letter has already been sent to the SFIO seeking relevant documents, a development recently reported by prominent media houses. The offences listed in the SFIO’s charge-sheet reportedly include violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The official also said that a case would be registered after examining the documents.

SFIO cites fraud of Rs 197.7 crore

An earlier probe by the Income Tax Department and the subsequent order by the Interim Settlement Board had concluded that Rs 1.72 crore was received by Veena and her company without rendering any services. Investigations found that private mineral company CMRL committed a fraud amounting to Rs 197.7 crore, which included payments to Veena, her company, and other political figures.

Veena and others booked under Companies Act

As per the SFIO charge sheet, Veena is booked under Section 447 of the Companies Act. The same charge has been levelled against CMRL managing director S N Sasidharan Kartha, joint managing director Saran S Kartha, as well as against their companies and those linked to Veena. The offence carries a penalty of imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine amounting to either the value of the fraud or up to three times that sum. The trial will be held at the special court for economic offences in Kochi.