Naming Kerala CM's daughter in 'illegal payment' scandal politically motivated: P Rajeev

Thiruvananthapuram/Madurai: Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev on Friday said that the reported naming of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter, T Veena, by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in an "illegal payment" scandal was "politically motivated".

Rajeev said that already three vigilance courts and the Kerala High Court have said that there was no evidence of corruption in connection with the alleged financial transactions between private mining company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Veena's now-defunct IT firm, Exalogic.

"So, the judicial system and the public have given a clean chit to the state government and the CM in the matter. Therefore, obviously, what has happened is politically motivated against the party and the government," he told reporters in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

He contended that it also indicated the use of probe agencies for political purposes as other findings in the probe carried out by the SFIO have not been revealed.

Following reports of Veena being named by the SFIO in the "illegal payment" scandal, the Congress and the BJP on Thursday had demanded the resignation of Vijayan as CM.

Neither the Chief Minister, who is currently in Madurai, nor Veena have reacted to the reports claiming that the investigation found that she had received Rs 2.70 crore from a private mining company without providing any services.

The reports also claimed that the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs has granted approval for prosecution proceedings.

The development came nearly a week after the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan seeking a probe against Vijayan over the alleged financial transactions between his daughter's now defunct IT firm and the private mining company.

Kuzhalnadan had moved the High Court against a vigilance court order rejecting his plea for an investigation against Vijayan over the alleged financial transactions.

The High Court had dismissed the plea saying that the MLA "failed" to place before the vigilance court the facts constituting the offence of corruption alleged by him against the CM, his daughter and her IT firm.

According to the reports, the SFIO investigation has uncovered a Rs 182 crore financial fraud within the mining company, in which several others are also accused.

It stated that the fraud was carried out by inflating non-existent expenses and creating fake bills.