On 6 May 2024, a vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram dismissed the petition filed by Kuzhalnadan seeking a court-monitored probe into the financial transactions.
Published Mar 28, 2025 | 2:52 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 28, 2025 | 2:52 PM
MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan. (mathewkuzhalnadanofficial/Facebook)
Synopsis: The Kerala High Court dismissed a petition filed by Congress leader and Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, seeking a Vigilance investigation on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter, Veena T, over the alleged monthly payment controversy.
The Kerala High Court on Friday, 28 March, dismissed a petition filed by Congress leader and Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, seeking a Vigilance investigation on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter, Veena T, over the alleged monthly payment controversy.
In his plea, Kuzhalnadan claimed that the chief minister had extended undue favours to Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), leading the company to make regular payments to Veena’s now-defunct company, Exalogics Solutions, in return for services rendered.
He alleged that despite CMRL purchasing land in Thrikunnapuzha and Arattupuzha for mining purposes, the necessary permissions were not secured.
According to the petition, the chief minister intervened and directed the Revenue Department to reassess an application submitted by S Sasidharan Kartha. Kuzhalnadan further contended that the payments to Veena began following this intervention.
On 6 May 2024, a vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram dismissed the petition filed by Kuzhalnadan seeking a court-monitored probe into the financial transactions.
Kuzhalnadan had initially approached the Special Vigilance Court in Thiruvananthapuram, saying the Vigilance Department refused to probe the financial transactions between CMRL and Exalogic.
Later, he changed his stance and sought a court-monitored probe into the alleged financial transactions. The court dismissed the plea after a detailed hearing on the documents submitted by the Congress legislator.
He had, in the past, alleged that the state and party machinery was being used by the ruling CPI(M) to justify and defend the “loot” by the chief minister and his family.
A controversy erupted in Kerala in 2023 over financial transactions between the Kochi-based private company and Veena and her IT firm.
Evidence showed that the company had dealings with top leaders of both the ruling CPI(M) as well as the opposition Congress-led UDF.
The issue came to the fore when a Malayalam daily, Malayala Manorama, created a sensation by carrying the news that Vijayan’s daughter Veena had allegedly received ₹1.72 crore from CMRL in monthly instalments over the past three years.
The news report, citing a ruling of an Interim Board for Settlement, said the Kochi-based company previously had an agreement with Veena’s IT firm for consultancy and software support services.
Even though no service had been rendered by her firm, the amount was paid every month “due to her relationship with a prominent person”, the report said, citing the deposition of the minerals company authorities before the Income Tax Department.
However, Vijayan rubbished the charges and said the allegations were made to tarnish his image and defame him.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman.)
