Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Ernakulam Additional Sessions Court seeking the statements of Veena Vijayan, daughter of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and others in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic case. This move indicates that the ED is advancing to the next stage of the investigation.

Following the submission of a charge sheet by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in the CMRL-Exalogic case, the ED collected the charge sheet from the court. After examining it, the ED has now filed another petition in the sessions court, requesting copies of all related documents and statements from individuals, including Veena Vijayan.

The ED's renewed action comes in the wake of the submission of the charge sheet by the SFIO, suggesting that the agency is intensifying its probe. Once the requested documents are thoroughly reviewed, the ED is expected to issue notices and proceed with further action.

Meanwhile, the High Court had earlier issued a notice to the Chief Minister and his daughter in a plea seeking a CBI investigation into the CMRL-Exalogic transaction. The notice was issued based on a public interest litigation filed by journalist M.R. Ajayan, citing records from the Interim Settlement Board and demanding that the investigation be handed over to the CBI.

Besides this, the High Court’s single bench had stayed further proceedings based on the SFIO report, in response to a petition filed by CMRL challenging the allegations in the report. The court order also put on hold steps such as the issuance of summons to the accused.