The Congress-led UDF government in Keralam on Tuesday ordered a police inquiry based on the ED’s report seeking action against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and her husband P A Mohamed Riyas in the alleged CMRL bribery case.
Sources said the inquiry would be conducted by the Crime Branch wing of the state police without registering an FIR.
The decision came after the government examined the legal opinion of the Advocate General (AG), who had left it to the state police to decide the further course of action on the ED report.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the state government has decided to entrust the Director General of Police (DGP) with an inquiry into the Enforcement Directorate’s report. Sources said the inquiry would be conducted by the Crime Branch wing of the state police without registering an FIR. The ED had sent a letter to State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar seeking registration of an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Vijayan, currently Leader of Opposition, Veena and Riyas, based on “evidence” allegedly gathered during its probe and searches conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Chennithala said the legal opinion was based on two Supreme Court judgments dealing with the obligation of law enforcement agencies to act on information received and the circumstances in which a preliminary inquiry could be conducted before registration of an FIR.
