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Kochi, Nov 20 (IANS) In a major legal development, the Kerala High Court on Thursday agreed to hear a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged “monthly payment” case involving Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan.
Now this case will be investigated in detail by a new bench headed by Justice Anil Narendran.
The court has formally accepted the petition and issued notices to all the respondents.
The petition, filed by journalist MR Ajayan, has sought that the investigation be handed over to the CBI based on the Interim Settlement Board documents, which allegedly indicate financial transactions between Veena’s IT firm, Exalogic, and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL).
The petitioner argues that the records show that the payment was made without providing the relevant services, which required a central investigation.
Apart from Veena and Exalogic, the other respondents include CMRL, its senior official Sasidharan Karta and officials of CMRL.
Notably, this comes after two different division benches of the High Court had earlier recused themselves from hearing the petition.
Justice Narendran’s new assignment to the bench marks a new phase in the judicial investigation into the case, which has attracted significant political and public attention in Kerala.
The court’s decision to issue the notice indicates its willingness to evaluate whether prima facie grounds exist for a CBI investigation.
Earlier, petitions seeking a vigilance inquiry into the same allegations were rejected by the High Court, saying there were insufficient grounds for a state-level investigation.
However, the petitioner now claims that the nature of the transaction, which involves companies registered outside Kerala and the implications of inter-state financial transactions, makes it suitable for CBI jurisdiction.
The case has sparked widespread political debate, with opposition parties alleging abuse of influence and conflict of interest at the highest levels.
The court will soon schedule a detailed hearing, marking a potentially important legal turn in the dispute involving the alleged monthly payment arrangement.
–IANS
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