The Kerala High Court on Oct. 9 directed the state police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T., and her husband, former minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd. (CMRL) payoff case.
Justice A. Badharudeen granted a petition filed by advocate K.M. Shajahan, who contended that the state police were required to immediately register an FIR based on an investigative report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), rather than conducting a preliminary inquiry.
The ED has alleged that CMRL made fraudulent payments totaling ₹2.78 crore to Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct firm owned by Veena T., under the pretext of providing “IT consultancy services.” According to the agency, while investigating alleged financial irregularities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) involving Exalogic Solutions, it gathered evidence of predicate offenses falling under the purview of the Prevention of Corruption Act and state police jurisdiction.
Earlier in the proceedings, the High Court reviewed the information passed by the ED to the State Police Chief. The court observed that an official report or information provided by the ED under the Prevention of Corruption Act serves as a substitute for a preliminary inquiry, which is ordinarily conducted to determine whether allegations merit a formal investigation.
The enforcement agency informed the court that during searches conducted in June at the Thiruvananthapuram accommodation where Veena T. resided with Vijayan, officials questioned her and subsequently seized handwritten notes detailing specific fund transfers to Dubai.
Responding to the action, Riyas stated that he and his party intend to fight the matter legally and politically, challenging the ED’s searches and broader investigation.
Analysis: Institutional Scope and Legal Procedure
The Kerala High Court’s directive hinges on the procedural relationship between federal financial intelligence units and state law enforcement agencies. Under Indian anti-money laundering jurisprudence, the Enforcement Directorate investigates financial proceeds derived from scheduled offenses. However, when the central agency uncovers evidence of underlying corruption or criminal acts outside its direct statutory jurisdiction, that information must be transferred to state authorities or specialized agencies equipped to prosecute predicate offenses.
By determining that an ED transmittal report serves as a legal substitute for a police preliminary inquiry, the court has clarified the administrative threshold required for registering an FIR. This ruling restricts state authorities from deploying discretionary preliminary inquiries to delay formal police investigations when presented with documented evidence from a primary federal investigative body.
Sources:
– [The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/cmrl-pay-off-case-kerala-hc-orders-registration-of-fir-against-pinarayi-vijayan-kin-based-on-ed-report/article71562715.ece)
– [India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/kerala-high-court-orders-police-to-file-fir-against-ex-kerala-cm-pinarayi-vijayan-in-cmrl-exalogic-payoff-case-3013006-2026-10-09)
– [Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/kerala-hc-orders-fir-against-former-cm-pinarayi-vijayan-in-cmrl-bribery-case/articleshow/134810261.cms)
Sources
– [India Today – India](https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/kerala-high-court-orders-police-to-file-fir-against-ex-kerala-cm-pinarayi-vijayan-in-cmrl-exalogic-payoff-case-3013006-2026-10-09?utm_source=rss)
Source: The Hindu – National
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Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
