HC appoints amicus in plea for vigilance probe into Kerala CM's daughter's financial transactions with pvt company

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday appointed an amicus curiae to assist it during the hearing of a plea seeking a vigilance probe into the financial transactions of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter and her firm with a private company -- Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd.

Justice K Babu appointed advocate Akhil Mohan as the amicus and listed the matter for hearing on Thursday, November 2, a senior government lawyer associated with the case said.

Advocate B A Aloor, who represents the petitioner in the matter, also confirmed the development.

The plea was moved by social activist Gireesh Babu challenging a vigilance court order declining to probe the financial transactions of the CM's daughter and her firm with the Kochi-based company.

A controversy erupted in Kerala recently over some financial transactions between the Kochi-based private minerals company and Veena and her IT firm.

Evidence also cropped up that showed the company had dealings with top leaders of both the ruling CPI(M) as well as the opposition Congress-led UDF.

The issue came to the fore after a Malayalam daily reported that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd paid a total of Rs 1.72 crore to the CM's daughter between 2017 and 2020.

The news report, citing a ruling of an Interim Board for Settlement, said the Kochi-based company previously had an agreement with Veena's IT firm for consultancy and software support services.

Despite the fact that no service was rendered by her firm, the amount was paid on a monthly basis 'due to her relationship with a prominent person', the report said, citing the deposition of the minerals company authorities before the Income Tax Department.

However, Vijayan rubbished the charges and said the allegations were made to tarnish his image and defame him.

Babu, who has fought several high profile corruption cases in courts against political leaders and top bureaucrats, died at his residence in Kalamassery here in September this year.