Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday carried out fresh searches at multiple locations in Kerala as part of an ongoing money‑laundering probe linked to Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, officials said. The action is a follow‑up to raids conducted in May and relates to alleged irregular payments to a company formerly owned by the daughter of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Scope of the searches
Officials said the searches covered eight locations in Kozhikode and additional premises in other parts of the State. The operation is being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Persons thought to be part of the alleged money trail, including individuals with political links, were among those subject to searches, the officials added.
Investigators are examining documentary and electronic material seized during earlier actions and are following leads arising from the May raids on CMRL. The May operation had targeted several premises associated with the mineral‑sand producer, prompting further enquiries that have now led to Tuesday’s searches.
Allegations in the case
The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that CMRL made fraudulent payments totalling ₹2.78 crore to Exalogic Solutions, a company that is now defunct and was earlier linked to Veena, the daughter of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. These payments were reportedly made under the pretext of "IT consultancy services" and form part of the money‑laundering allegations being investigated by the federal agency.
Veena was earlier questioned by the ED in connection with the probe. In June, the agency carried out a search at the premises where she was staying with Pinarayi Vijayan in rented accommodation in Thiruvananthapuram, according to official accounts of the investigation.
Legal and political context
The PMLA empowers the ED to attach and seize proceeds of crime and to conduct searches and seizures in relation to suspected money‑laundering. The investigation into alleged payments by a public sector company to a private concern has drawn political attention because of the familial link to a former Chief Minister.
Senior officials said the latest searches were part of routine follow‑up measures that aim to corroborate documentary trails and financial transactions identified during the earlier phase of the probe. The agency has been focusing on bank records, payment vouchers and digital communications to establish whether the payments constituted proceeds of crime.
What is known so far
- Entity under probe: Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions (now defunct).
- Alleged payments: ₹2.78 crore from CMRL to Exalogic Solutions labelled as IT consultancy fees.
- Searches: Fresh ED searches at multiple locations in Kerala, including eight in Kozhikode.
- Earlier actions: May raids on CMRL; June search and questioning of Veena in Thiruvananthapuram.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Enforcement Directorate (ED) |
| Legal provision | Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) |
| Alleged amount | ₹2.78 crore |
| Primary locations searched | Kozhikode (eight locations) and other parts of Kerala |
Investigations of this nature typically involve the tracing of funds through bank accounts, examination of contract documents and cross‑checking of records with the accounts of service providers. Officials indicated that further searches or summonses could follow if new leads emerge from material seized so far.
Reactions and next steps
The current phase of searches is procedural according to ED sources, intended to gather evidence to either substantiate or exclude alleged proceeds of crime. No formal charges beyond the invocation of PMLA provisions were announced by the agency at the time of the searches.
Political parties and local stakeholders are likely to monitor developments closely given the high‑profile nature of the names connected to the matter. Any further action by the ED — including arrests, attachment of assets or prosecution complaints — will be shaped by the evidence the agency assembles during this and previous phases of inquiry.
As the probe continues, investigators will rely on bank records, invoices, digital communications and witness statements to reconstruct the sequence of payments and the services, if any, that were rendered under the asserted consultancy contracts.
Further details are expected as the Enforcement Directorate completes its examinations and decides on subsequent legal steps.
