The agency has registered a case under the PMLA and is expected to summon the people involved, the sources said.

Veena Thaikandiyil with her husband and Kerala’s Tourism and PWD minister P A Muhammaed Riyas. Photo: Supplied

By South First Desk

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case against Veena Thaikkandiyil, the daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, official sources said Wednesday, 27 March.

Her IT company, Exalogic Solutions, and others also figure in the case. The ED is probing a case of alleged illegal payments from a private mineral firm to Veena and the company.

The sources said the case is registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is expected to summon the people involved.

They said the case follows the cognisance of a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), an investigative arm of the Union corporate affairs ministry.

Orders by Kerala HC, Karnataka HC

The SFIO is probing the transaction between Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), Exalogic Solutions, and Kochi-based mines company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL).

The Karnataka High Court dismissed a plea on 16 February challenging a probe by the SFIO against Exalogic Solutions Pvt Limited.

Exalogics had claimed that the ₹1.72 crore payment made by CMRL to Exalogics was in exchange for services rendered. However, an interim settlement board probe revealed that Exalogic did not render services.

The Kerala High Court on 12 February asked the state-run KSIDC to provide documents proving it had sought an explanation from CMRL over the alleged financial transactions made to Exalogics.

KSIDC has 13.4 percent shares in CMRL.

This story was originally published in thesouthfirst.com. Read the full story here.