Former Keralam CM directed to appear for questioning on Oct 23

Trouble is mounting for former Kerala Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan as the Enforcement Directorate has now issued summons to Vijayan in connection with the CMRL, Exalogica, monthly payoff case. Vijayan has been directed to appear before the ED for questioning on the 23rd of October. The Enforcement Directorate summons have come at a crucial time for Pinarayi Vijayan. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the former Chief Minister's petition in the case on the 26th of October. Vijayan and his son-in-law, PA Mohamed Riyas, had earlier filed an appeal in the top court challenging the Kerala High Court's order related to alleged bribery in the CMRL case. Now, this development comes a day after a division bench of the Kerala High Court dismissed the former chief minister's plea, seeking permission to appeal against an order to register an FIR against him, his daughter Veena, and his son-in-law, PA Mohamed Riyas. The court had held that the ED's communication contained sufficient material to register the case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Vijayan had appealed to the High Court's division bench to quash the single-bench order directing registration of an FIR. According to the Enforcement Directorate, Kerala-based CMRL, or Cochin Minerals and Rutil Limited, paid 2.7 crore rupees to Exalogica Solutions, which is a firm owned by Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter, T. Veena. The agency claims the payments were made under the guise of IT consultancy services during his first term as the state's chief minister. The ED claims that Vijayan allegedly received 3.2 crore rupees in bribe routed through his daughter's firm. The agency has also accused Vijayan's son-in-law, P.A. Mohd. Riyas, of allegedly routing the funds to Dubai. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, has dialed up the heat on CPIM and Vijayan. The party's Yuva Morcha staged a march to the Kerala Legislative Assembly demanding that Pinarayi Vijayan step down from his position as leader of opposition. The state's police, meanwhile, resorted to water cannons to disperse the protesters.