The Kerala High Court has ordered state law enforcement to register a First Information Report (FIR) against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena, and his son-in-law P A Mohammed Riyas under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The case originates from the controversial financial dealings between private mining firm Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited and Exalogic Solutions, an IT company owned by T Veena.
ED sources confirmed to NDTV that once the FIR is registered, the probe agency will enter again in the probe that focuses only on the former Chief Minister and the family. Kerala local self-government Minister KM Shaji, in an exclusive conversation with NDTV, launched a sharp attack on former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former minister and sitting MLA PA Mohammed Riyas, and their family members over the Enforcement Directorate probe. The High Court ruling explicitly dismantled the state government’s defence. The Kerala Home Department had argued that a preliminary investigation by the Crime Branch was sufficient and that registering a direct FIR was not legally mandatory. Opponents and petitioners alleged that this stance was an attempt to delay proceedings and shield high-profile political figures. By granting the writ petition, the court affirmed that the gravity of evidence uncovered by federal agencies establishes a clear duty for state authorities to register a formal FIR rather than relying on prolonged preliminary inquiries. Beyond the immediate political shockwaves, the verdict holds profound legal consequences for the ongoing federal investigation. With the High Court directing the registration of an FIR under anti-corruption laws, the state now possesses the legal foundation required to expand its prosecution.
Previously, the ED faced procedural hurdles in formally naming Pinarayi Vijayan and Mohammed Riyas as accused in its Enforcement Case Information Report due to the absence of a registered predicate offense by state police.
