Vigilance Court rejects plea to probe bribery allegations against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, daughter

A Kerala Vigilance Court on Saturday rejected a petition for investigation into allegations of bribery and misuse of power by high-ranking public officials in Kerala, including its Chief Minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan, in connection with the mining and other business interests of Cochin Mineral and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) [Gireesh Babu v Veena Thaikandiyil & Ors.]..The plea before Special Judge (Vigilance) in Muvattupuzha had been filed in the wake of an Income Tax report that stated that an "illegal payment" of ₹1.72 crores was made by CMRL to Exalogic Solutions Private Limited, an IT firm owned by Veena Thaikandiyil, the daughter of the CM.The petitioner, Gireesh Babu, alleged that Veena received the money as consideration from CMRL to grant it an undue advantage.Babu alleged that high-ranking public officials including the CM, the Leader of Opposition and Congress leader, Ramesh Chennithala and other politicians such as Kunjali Kutty, VK Ibrahim Kunju and A Govindan also received bribes from CMRL.All of these persons were arraigned as accused in Babu's petition..On Saturday, Special Judge NV Raju rejected the plea finding that there was no prima facie case. The petitioner had only raised general allegations without sufficient material facts to prove that the accused persons had committed any offense under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the court said.The court found that there was little to back up the allegations of bribery, except alleged entries in loose papers maintained by CMRL and other officers. “Since complainant has not shown a prima facie case, there is no necessity of retaining the complaint for sanction under s.19, or approval under s.17A.As the complaint and the materials produced along with the complaint do not disclose sufficient material facts which will show that any of the respondents have committed any offences punishable under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, this complaint is liable to be rejected,” the court concluded. .In his plea, Babu highlighted that CMRL had already been in trouble before when Income Tax Department raided its office and the residence of its Managing Director in connection with tax evasion.Several documents and records seized during the search portrayed blaring illicit and illegal connections between the accused persons, Babu added.“The finding of the Interim Board for Settlement-II, New Delhi evidently shows offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, to have been committed by the accused persons arrayed herein such that an investigation by the Vigilance Authorities into the matter is warranted,” stated the plea further.Referring to the alleged payment of ₹1.72 crore by CMRL to Exalogic Solution, Babu also recounted that Settlement Board-II termed this transaction as a bogus transaction as no service was provided by Veena's firm for CMRL..[Read Order]