Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to question T. Veena, daughter of Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and former owner of Exalogic Solutions, on Tuesday in connection with the alleged CMRL-Exalogic monthly payment case.
Veena will be questioned regarding the financial transactions between Exalogic Solutions and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), including payments received by the company. She had earlier sought more time citing health issues after being asked to appear before the agency last Friday.
According to sources, the ED has prepared an extensive questionnaire for the interrogation. Investigators are expected to seek explanations regarding the utilisation of ₹2.78 crore allegedly received from CMRL and other financial dealings linked to the case. The agency is also likely to confront Veena with statements previously given by CMRL officials during the course of the investigation.
This will be the first time that Veena is being directly questioned by the ED in the CMRL-Exalogic case.
As part of the probe, the ED had earlier conducted searches at several locations, including the Thiruvananthapuram residence and Kannur house associated with Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kozhikode residence linked to Veena’s husband and Kerala Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, and the residence of CMRL Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha. The agency had stated that it recovered certain documents during the raids.
The ED has also obtained documents collected by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), which has separately examined the transactions between Exalogic and CMRL. Investigators have reportedly compiled correspondence and contractual records between the two entities dating back to 2016-17. Veena is said to have entered into an agreement with CMRL in 2016, while a separate agreement between Exalogic and CMRL was signed in 2017.
Officials are also expected to question her about a loan allegedly availed from Empower India Private Limited, a company linked to members of Sasidharan Kartha’s family.
The ED’s investigation received a boost after a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court allowed the agency to continue its probe, dismissing an appeal filed by CMRL against an earlier single-judge order. Following the court ruling, the ED Director visited Kochi and chaired a high-level review meeting, directing officials to intensify the investigation.
On Monday, the agency questioned Sasidharan Kartha’s wife Jaya Kartha, son Sharan S. Kartha and daughter Shibi Kartha as part of the ongoing probe.
The alleged monthly payment arrangement between CMRL and Exalogic has been under scrutiny by both the SFIO and the ED, with investigators examining whether the transactions involved violations of financial and anti-money laundering laws.
