Kochi: Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), which is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over its financial dealings with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena T and her now-defunct firm, has moved the Kerala High Court challenging a recent order that allowed the agency’s probe to continue.

The company filed an appeal on Friday against the High Court’s May 26 judgment, which dismissed its plea seeking to quash the ED proceedings.

In the earlier ruling, Justice T.R. Ravi held that the ED was legally empowered to proceed with its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), even before the filing of a formal FIR or final report by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

In its appeal, CMRL argued that the judgment caused it “grave prejudice” as the matter had been reserved for orders twice — first in 2024 and again in 2025.

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The company also alleged that after reserving judgment in 2024, the court permitted the ED to file additional affidavits in 2025 despite objections raised by the company. It further claimed that it was not given an opportunity to respond to the contents of those affidavits.

According to the additional affidavits filed by the ED, the SFIO had submitted a complaint in April 2025 alleging offences under the Companies Act, including fraud-related provisions that qualify as scheduled offences under the PMLA.

CMRL contended that there had been a serious violation of the principles of natural justice, arguing that it was not heard on whether a subsequently filed complaint containing a scheduled offence could retrospectively confer jurisdiction on the ED to investigate under the PMLA when no such offence existed at the time the probe began.

The company has sought to set aside the May 26 judgment and requested a stay on its operation until the appeal is decided.

CMRL had earlier approached the High Court seeking to quash the ED’s Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), summons issued to company officials and related proceedings, claiming that the agency lacked jurisdiction as no scheduled offence existed when the investigation commenced.

The case originates from Income Tax searches conducted in January 2019 at CMRL offices and the residences of senior company executives. Subsequently, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs ordered an SFIO investigation into the company’s affairs following a complaint filed by political activist Shone George.