Published Sep 24, 2026 | 4:37 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 24, 2026 | 4:38 PM
Shone George said the page was part of the documents the ED submitted to the court. (Right) VD Satheesan.
Synopsis: The CMRL-Exalogic controversy is no longer confined to Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF. With the diary entries now purportedly naming several ruling Front leaders, including VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and PK Kunhalikutty, the UDF is also feeling the heat. The BJP is using the new list to allege a ‘fixed match’ between the two Fronts, raising questions over who is protecting whom and how the UDF government will proceed with the SIT probe.
The political stakes in the CMRL-Exalogic case have expanded after BJP leader Shone George released a page, purportedly from the diary of S Sasidharan Kartha, the managing director of Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), claiming it recorded payments to several leaders from both the UDF and LDF.
The leaders mentioned included Chief Minister VD Satheesan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, RSP leader Shibu Baby John and IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty.
The development came at a politically sensitive moment for the Congress-led UDF government, which has recently constituted an SIT to conduct a preliminary probe into allegations raised by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena and son-in-law and former minister PA Mohammed Riyas.
South First had earlier reported differing views within the UDF, particularly among allies such as the IUML and RSP, on whether the government should register a case against Vijayan.
With the chief minister’s name now appearing in a document released by the BJP, the issue has taken on a wider political dimension.
Also Read: Pinarayi, Veena, Riyas face preliminary probe
Shone George claimed the page he released was part of the documents the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) submitted to the court along with its chargesheet.
The handwritten document showed ₹5 lakh against Satheesan’s name and ₹10 lakh against Chennithala’s name.
The page also listed the names of several prominent leaders—living and dead—from both political fronts.
Vijayan’s name appeared in the entries, with amounts of ₹15 lakh and ₹10 lakh recorded on separate occasions. The document also mentioned former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, with ₹10 lakh shown against his name and former minister VK Ebrahim Kunju, against whom ₹15 lakh was recorded.
Other names include Kunhalikutty, KB Ganesh Kumar, Hibi Eden, K Muraleedharan, Anwar Sadath, Shibu Baby John, Elamaram Kareem, Pannyan Ravindran, P Rajeeve, G Sudhakaran, CK Chandrappan, K Chandran Pillai, Thampanoor Ravi, Johnny Nelloor, Oommen Chandy and TM Jacob.
The document recorded ₹2 lakh each against Eden, Muraleedharan and Sadath, while it showed ₹5 lakh against John and Kareem. The entries also included several other political names.
However, the document released by George has not been independently authenticated.
George told reporters that he had obtained the document from another media outlet. The presence of a name or amount in the purported diary page, therefore, did not by itself establish that a payment had been made or that the person named had received money.
George alleged that the diary page was seized from Kartha and subsequently submitted to court as part of the SFIO investigation material. He questioned why the state government had not registered an FIR or ordered a direct investigation into the allegations against Vijayan despite the ED’s communication, suggesting that Satheesan’s name could be a factor.
The BJP threatened to approach the Kerala High Court if the government did not order an investigation, with George saying legal action would be initiated within a week.
Also Read: ED seeks FIR against ex-CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena, Riyas
George has now challenged the government to take the investigation out of the state police framework.
”If the UDF government is confident, they have to transfer the case to the CBI. I doubt the SIT might destroy evidence, because this is a joint game.” George told South First.
His comments came as the BJP has been seeking to broaden the political scope of the CMRL controversy beyond the allegations against Vijayan and his family.
The BJP has already argued that the alleged involvement of leaders from both the UDF and LDF would make a state police investigation questionable. George’s latest allegations have given the BJP fresh ammunition to target the UDF government, particularly after the government decided to conduct a preliminary inquiry rather than immediately register an FIR in the CMRL-Exalogic case.
At the same time, the purported diary page raised questions about whether the allegations concerning political payments extended beyond the individuals named. Earlier, when names of political leaders surfaced in connection with alleged payments by CMRL, Congress leaders had maintained that such amounts were election or party funds.
Also Read: How a scribble acquired a life of its own in Keralam
George fired the fresh salvo as the state government launched a preliminary examination of the ED’s findings.
The government has constituted a Crime Branch SIT to examine the material the ED forwarded in connection with the alleged CMRL-Exalogic transactions.
Crime Branch ADGP H Venkatesh will supervise the probe, while SP P Vikraman will serve as the investigating officer.
The team included three Deputy Superintendents of Police, five inspectors and officers from the Cyber Division.
The preliminary inquiry is to be completed within a stipulated period, with the government deciding against immediately registering an FIR.
The government’s decision to conduct a preliminary inquiry followed legal advice on how to respond to the ED’s communication. Chennithala cited Supreme Court rulings on information shared by the ED and the circumstances under which a preliminary inquiry can precede registration of an FIR.
This has put the government in a politically complicated position.
The SIT is investigating allegations involving the previous LDF government and former Chief Minister, while a document released by the BJP now purportedly names leaders associated with the current UDF establishment as well.
For the UDF government, the immediate challenge is no longer confined to responding to the ED’s allegations against Vijayan and his family. It must also address questions surrounding the newly released document, the demand for an independent probe, and the political implications of investigating a state-appointed SIT.
For now, the SIT’s preliminary inquiry would remain as the formal process initiated by the government. Whether it leads to an FIR, a wider investigation, or further action will depend on what the investigating team establishes from the material the ED hands over.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
