Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 (IANS): The Kerala High Court’s directive to register an FIR in the CMRL-Exalogic financial dealings case has triggered a fresh political confrontation in Kerala, with the Congress-led government promising to examine the order, the CPI(M) questioning the procedure, and the BJP demanding the resignation of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The court also put its foot down, and cancelled the SIT formed by the Crime Branch of the Kerala Police in this case and asked the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register the FIR.
Vijayan is the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Soon after the verdict came on Friday, state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government would study the court order before deciding on further action.
He rejected suggestions that the ruling amounted to a setback for the government.
“I have not seen the High Court order. Once it comes, we will look into it and do the needful. Is it not essential to examine the details of the order?” he asked.
Chennithala said that when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) first sent its communication seeking action, he had forwarded it to the State Police Chief, who obtained legal opinions before deciding to proceed with a preliminary inquiry.
“The opinion we received was to commence a preliminary probe, and we went ahead with it. Now the court says otherwise. Let the order come, and we will do the needful,” he said.
“This is no setback for the government. We acted after seeking legal opinions, and we will continue to do so,” he added.
Senior CPI(M) leader and close aide of Vijayan, M.V. Jayarajan, questioned the court’s decision to issue the directive without hearing the former Chief Minister or the other persons concerned.
“We all know how the ED functions. The court has given an order, but neither Vijayan nor anyone else was heard before it was issued. The question of denial of natural justice, therefore, arises,” Jayarajan said.
He said the CPI(M) would continue to fight the case both legally and politically.
Senior BJP legislator and former Union Minister V. Muraleedharan, however, said the CPI(M) would resort to what he described as baseless narratives following the court’s directive.
“If the CPI(M) feels Vijayan was not heard, why did he not implead himself in the case, when he could have done so if he wanted?” Muraleedharan asked.
BJP state vice-president Shone George, who had pursued the case from the beginning, said Vijayan had no moral right to continue as Leader of Opposition after the court ordered registration of an FIR against him.
He alleged that the case involved corrupt practices during the previous government’s tenure and dealings involving black money.
Vijayan should step down if he had any moral responsibility, George said.
The High Court’s directive has opened the way for the state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau’s special investigation team to register an FIR and investigate the allegations involving CMRL, Exalogic, Vijayan, his daughter Veena, her husband and CPI(M) legislator P.A. Mohammed Riyas, and others.
The order is expected to intensify the political debate over the allegations and the state government’s next course of action.
All eyes are on the nine-day sitting of the Assembly opening on Monday, as this is going to be good ammunition for the treasury benches to attack Vijayan and the Left.
