Kerala High Court Orders FIR Against Pinarayi Vijayan

The Kerala High Court ordered the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to immediately register a First Information Report (FIR) against Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena, and son-in-law P.A. Mohamed Riyas. Justice A. Badharudeen ruled that evidence provided by the Enforcement Directorate contained sufficient primary materials to make an FIR obligatory under the Prevention of Corruption Act, rendering a preliminary inquiry totally unwarranted.

The case centers on allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct company owned by Veena. These payments were allegedly disguised as IT consultancy services. The court specifically set aside a decision by the Congress-led UDF government to form a Special Investigation Team for a preliminary probe, labeling that move illegal.

While the state government argued that the Enforcement Directorate report was insufficient for an immediate FIR, the court rejected this position and directed the state's anti-corruption agency to begin the investigation. In response to the ruling, CPI(M) leaders characterized the case as a political conspiracy, while BJP leader Shone George demanded that Vijayan resign from his current position as Leader of the Opposition.