Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed 2 petitions seeking an investigation into allegations of bribery and misuse of power against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter, Veena Thaikkandiyil.
The petitions were filed by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Gireesh Babu, challenging earlier orders by a vigilance court that had rejected their requests for an inquiry into the allegations. Justice K. Babu dismissed both petitions but quashed the vigilance court’s observation that Kuzhalnadan’s complaint was politically motivated, stating that such a remark was unwarranted.
The accusations stemmed from the alleged financial dealings of Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd. (CMRL). A report by the Income Tax Department claimed that CMRL made bogus payments of ₹1.72 crore to the IT firm Exalogic and to Veena Thaikkandiyil, despite no actual services being provided.
Kuzhalnadan alleged that CMRL was engaged in illegal mining operations and had received undue support from the Chief Minister. He also made the controversial claim that the 2018 Kerala floods were a “man-made disaster” intended to facilitate large-scale removal of sand for mineral extraction.
Gireesh Babu’s petition went further, alleging that multiple high-ranking officials, including Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, politicians Kunjali Kutty, VK Ibrahim Kunju, and A Govindan, had also received bribes from CMRL.
August 2023: The vigilance court dismissed Babu’s complaint.
January 2024: Kuzhalnadan’s complaint was also rejected.
March 2024: Both petitioners approached the High Court, arguing that their complaints deserved proper investigation and that the vigilance court’s dismissal violated legal procedures.
However, the High Court upheld the vigilance court’s decision, stating that there was no prima facie case for an investigation.
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