Pinarayi Vijayan

Earlier, former Keralam CM Pinarayi Vijayan challenged the Kerala High Court order directing an FIR in the alleged CMRL bribery case in the Supreme Court, seeking protection from coercive action.

Pinarayi Vijayan and kin, in their appeals, have claimed that they were not heard by the single judge before issuing the October 9 direction to lodge the FIR in the case.

The Kerala High Court had on October 9 directed registration of a case based on a report submitted by the Enforcement Directorate to the state police.

According to sources, the VACB's Special Investigation Unit-1 registered the cases following a Kerala High Court order dated October 9.

Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) director Manoj Abraham said that a special team will investigate the case.

Four CJP leaders including Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashuthosh Ranka detained and taken to undisclosed location.

The order follows a plea by advocate K M Shajahan, while the ED alleges Rs 2.78 crore in payments to Veena T’s now-defunct company were disguised as consultancy fees.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) told Kerala High Court that its report could support an FIR, while the government argued that a preliminary inquiry was required before registration.

Chief Minister VD Satheesan is one among the several leaders from both the left and the right who have been featured on Kartha's list detailing amounts of money paid.

The state government has directed the formation of an SIT under the leadership of Crime Branch ADGP to probe the alleged bribery case.

The CPI(M) leader says the ED has changed its allegation against him and is attempting to use the law as a political weapon.

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar says Pinarayi Vijayan should quit as Leader of Opposition over the ED's CMRL-linked case.

Vijayan termed the allegations that CMRL payments reached him through his daughter Veena as “shameful” and said that this will not damage his image.