Kochi: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) will register a First Information Report (FIR) in the alleged CMRL bribery case involving Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Keralam Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan and family following a Kerala High Court directive, state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Saturday.
VACB director Manoj Abraham said a special team will investigate the case.
The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state government to register a case based on a report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the state police, alleging the involvement of Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and son-in-law P A Muhammad Riyas, an MLA, in payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL).
The ED has sought registration of a case based on evidence gathered during its probe and searches conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The agency has alleged that CMRL made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, under the guise of IT consultancy services.
Speaking to reporters here, Chennithala said the government would respect the court's verdict and proceed with the necessary legal procedures.
"We will respect the court's verdict. In compliance with the court's verdict and in light of the judgment now issued, we will proceed with the procedures. VACB will file an FIR on Monday," he said.
He said the government has adopted a measured approach by seeking a preliminary inquiry based on legal advice, but accepted the court's ruling that such an inquiry was unnecessary.
Asked about Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] general secretary M A Baby's argument that the case would not stand in any court, Chennithala said the High Court's verdict has made it clear that the matter would proceed.
"It is now proven that it will stand in that court. Didn't we all see the High Court's verdict? So based on that court verdict, the government will act," he said, adding that the government would not file an appeal against the verdict.
VACB director Manoj Abraham told reporters that a special team will be formed to conduct the investigation.
“We will form a special team comprising our officers from different places. The team will be constituted on Monday itself,” he said.