The allegations levelled against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the alleged transaction between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, a company owned by his daughter T. Veena, were not sustainable, according to the State government.
T.A. Shaji, the Director General of Prosecution (DGP), contended before the Kerala High Court that the allegations were politically motivated.
The DGP raised the allegations while opposing the plea of Congress legislator Mathew Kuzhalnadan, who sought a probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau into the alleged transactions between the two firms.
Mr. Kuzhalnadan had filed an appeal before the Kerala High Court challenging the earlier dismissal of his petition by a Vigilance Special Court.
The legislator had earlier alleged that the CMRL made a payment of ₹1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions without receiving any services and the payment was intended to facilitate CMRL’s procurement of mineral sand from the Thottappally Spillway.
He had also argued that the State started taking favourable actions for CMRL to protect the illegally possessed property by exempting it from the land ceiling under the Kerala Land Reforms Act after Ms. Veena started associating with CMRL.
Mr. Shaji argued that the Prevention of Corruption Act cannot be invoked in the case as the petitioner had no allegation that the Chief Minister had enriched himself in any manner in the case. On the allegation of exemption regarding the Land Ceiling Act, the DGP explained that the Chief Minister, who received an application from KREML, a joint venture between CMRL and Indian Rare Earths Ltd seeking an exemption from the land ceiling, forwarded it to the Principal Secretary of the Industries Department with a note saying for appropriate action. The State has so far not allowed private entities to mine mineral sand, he argued.
The State had no role in the alleged financial transactions between CMRL and Exalogic Solutions as it was based on an agreement between two private firms. The court posted the case for Monday.
