ED summons Veena Vijayan, CMRL directors for questioning

NEW DELHI: ED has summoned Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for questioning in connection with a money laundering probe against Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), people in the know told ET.

A few other individuals, including directors of CMRL, have been summoned for questioning at its Kochi office on June 12. Statements of Veena and the co-accused will be recorded under Section 50 of PMLA.

As reported by ET last week, ED is focusing on cash transfers allegedly made from the company's accounts. ED will quiz Veena and the directors of CMRL to ascertain the "beneficiaries".


A senior official privy to the development had told ET that "cash transfers made to individuals and entities are the immediate focus for that will uncover the identity of the beneficiaries".

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Also, ED is zeroing in on properties that it will attach under relevant provisions of PMLA to recover the alleged proceeds of crime. Another senior official said the total amount of financial irregularities involved in the case is around ?184 crore.

CMRL, a public limited company based in Kerala and engaged in manufacturing synthetic rutile and other industrial chemicals, has been under ED scanner following allegations of bribery and money laundering. The key allegation is that CMRL made illegal payments of large sums to Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd, an IT firm owned by Veena Thaikkandiyil, Vijayan's daughter.

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Last week, a Kerala High Court bench dismissed an appeal filed by CMRL and four of its officials seeking quashing of ED's ECIR against them. The bench ruled that "non-registration of FIR or non-filing of a complaint in respect of a scheduled offence will not bar" ED from "initiating civil action" under the provisions of PMLA.