Thiruvananthapuram: Escalating its high-profile money laundering probe, a team from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrived in Thiruvananthapuram and inspected the bank locker of Veena T, daughter of Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, at an HDFC Bank branch in the city.

The action was carried out as part of a pre-planned investigative procedure following her intense interrogation at the ED's Kochi office, where officials noted she failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the utilisation of funds.

 

The investigation trajectory

The central agency’s action comes on the heels of major financial crackdowns in the CMRL-Exalogic monthly pay-off case. The ED has already frozen a total of ₹18.36 crore across 242 bank accounts linked to the investigation, including Veena's personal accounts. It was during the scrutiny of these accounts that investigators uncovered the existence of the specific bank locker in Thiruvananthapuram.

The crux of the investigation centers on the ₹2.78 crore transferred from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) to Veena's now-defunct IT firm, Exalogic Solutions. According to ED sources, Veena was unable to provide a precise or satisfactory explanation during her recent questioning regarding these financial transactions, which were claimed to be remuneration for IT consultancy services that independent statutory bodies allege were never actually rendered. Following this, the probe team moved swiftly to inspect the locker to trace the money trail and secure potential evidence.