Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter, T. Veena, has firmly denied all allegations surrounding her company’s dealings with Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). In a counter affidavit submitted to the Kerala High Court on Wednesday, Veena stated that the transactions were transparent and carried out in full compliance with a formal agreement. She asserted that Exalogic, the IT firm in question, is not a benami company and the money transfers were lawful.

The affidavit was filed in response to a petition by journalist MR Ajayan, who has sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter. This marks the first official written statement from Veena regarding the CMRL-Exalogic transaction. She has reiterated that the payments made were in accordance with a contract under which Exalogic provided IT services to CMRL. She added that the payments were made through proper banking channels, and all related financial documents have been duly submitted.

The allegations state that Veena received payment for services that were never rendered, as noted in a report by the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board. Veena strongly refuted this claim, adding that the board submitted its report without granting her an opportunity to present her version. She also clarified that she has extended full cooperation to the probe conducted by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

Veena accused the petitioner of trying to tarnish her image by dragging her into the controversy due to her being the daughter of the Chief Minister. Veena described herself as a qualified professional in the IT field and noted that Exalogic ceased operations during the Covid period. She firmly rejected the accusation that the firm used the address of the AKG Centre.