Row over Kerala CM's daughter's financial dealings

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the ruling CPM in Kerala has been trying to put up a defense that investigations by central agencies against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter's Bengaluru-based IT firm were politically motivated, a new report has put the ruling party in a fix.

The row over Veena Vijayan's firm, Exalogic Solutions, receiving Rs 1.7 crore from Kochi-based firm Cochin Minerals and Rutiles Limited turned murkier after an incriminating preliminary inquiry report of Bengaluru Registrar of Companies came out on Wednesday. The report said Exalogic Solutions failed to provide documents to support the claim that the money was paid for services rendered.

This contradicts the defense being put up by CPM leaders, including Vijayan, that CMRL made the payments to Exalogic Solutions for services rendered as per legally valid business deals.

A detailed probe ordered by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs based on the preliminary inquiry report is progressing and if found guilty legal actions might be initiated against both the firms involved.

Congress leader V D Satheesan said already many probes, including the involvement of the Chief Minister's office in gold smuggling, were sabotaged as part of the 'BJP-CPM nexus'. The ongoing probe against Vijayan's daughter's firm may also face the same fate. Hence, a court-monitored probe should be initiated, he said.