‘What is the crime in that?’: Pinarayi Vijayan defends Exalogic-CMRL deal

Alappuzha: CPM leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said he was not afraid of the investigation into the alleged CMRL payments case, alleging that the probe was politically motivated and aimed at targeting the LDF at the BJP's behest.

Speaking while inaugurating an expanded CPM district committee meeting in Alappuzha, Vijayan alleged that the Congress had joined hands with the BJP to target the CPM and the Left Front through him.

The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala recently ordered a police inquiry following a letter from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the State Police Chief seeking a probe against Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and her husband, MLA P A Mohamed Riyas, in connection with the alleged CMRL bribery case.

The ED sought registration of a case based on what it described as evidence gathered during its investigation and searches conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The agency has alleged that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, in the guise of IT consultancy services.

Vijayan, however, said Exalogic had a contract with CMRL and that the services were provided in accordance with the law.

"The service is provided by one entity to another entity as per the law, and the remuneration is received as per the law for that service. All of this is on record, and all the necessary taxes for it have been paid," he said.

"What is the crime in that?" Vijayan asked.

He alleged that Exalogic was being targeted because its owner was his daughter. He also questioned attempts to link the matter to his daughter's marriage to Riyas, pointing out that the contract between Exalogic and CMRL had been signed years before their marriage.

Vijayan said complaints related to the matter had already been examined by various courts, including the Supreme Court.

He said a complaint filed by a Congress MLA had been at the centre of the earlier proceedings and claimed that the court had already ruled on the matter.

"After all that, now they are coming forward with this new story," he said.

Vijayan alleged that the latest developments were aimed at the LDF and the CPM, claiming that the RSS and BJP were behind the move and accusing the UDF of joining them.

He said Kerala would resist politically motivated interventions by both the Central and state governments.

"What needs to be pointed out is that the CPM will also move along that same path," Vijayan said.