KOCHI : Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has sought a reply from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to five major questions on the dubious financial transactions linked to Exalogic company owned by his daughter Veena T.
“The chief minister had made a statement in the assembly in which he mentioned that his daughter’s firm was under the scanner of agencies earlier. However, he did not divulge the details of the inquiry. The ED began an inquiry into the illegal transactions just before the assembly elections in 2021. Pinarayi Vijayan should answer whether the ‘understanding’ between the BJP and the CPM had helped him delay an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the past three years,” he said. Satheesan was speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the Charcha Sadas, an interaction programme as part of Samaragni in Kochi on Tuesday. The state leadership of the BJP should also respond to the question, said Satheesan.
The ED failed to probe the allegations for three years, going by the report submitted by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) before the Karnataka High Court in the case related to the illegal transactions between Exalogic and CMRL.
He also asked the CM to reveal the names of other firms that had given pay-offs to Exalogic. The CM should make it clear whether these firms received any benefits, including tax concessions, from the government, he said.
He also sought the CM’s response to the findings of the Registrar of Companies that only a portion of the loans granted by Empower India, an NBFC linked to CMRL, to Exalogic had reached the official account of the company. “Where did the rest of the money go?” he asked.
Congress state president K Sudhakaran, who also attended the press meet, said the brutal killing of T P Chandrasekharan was carried out with the consent of the top leaders of the CPM.
“Only one person is behind all political killings in Kannur and everyone knows that ‘top’ person,” he said.