Thiruvananthapuram, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : P.A. Mohammad Riyas, a member of the CPI(M) and former minister in Kerala, expressed strong opposition on Tuesday to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) recommendation for a police case against him, his wife T. Veena, and opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the CMRL monthly payment scandal.
Riyas stated, “Nothing wrong has happened. We are not afraid of any investigation. We will face it legally.” He emphasized that he has no fears about the inquiry, insisting that he has committed no wrongdoing. He is confident that the investigation will yield no evidence against him.
“I firmly believe that nothing will come out of this investigation. The country has seen how ED cases progress multiple times,” he added, expressing trust in the eventual outcomes of the inquiry. Riyas reiterated, “I am completely confident that nothing wrong will be proven in this investigation, because no wrongdoing has occurred.”
This statement comes as the ED has urged the Kerala police to file an FIR against Vijayan, Veena, and Riyas under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case pertains to alleged payments linked to Kochin Minerals and Rutile Limited.
The ED has submitted its investigation report to the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) Ravada A. Chandrashekhar under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency claims that payments made by CMRL to Veena’s company, Exalogic Solutions, were not in exchange for legitimate services. It has also raised concerns about extensive financial transactions involving Vijayan and Riyas.
However, these allegations remain at the investigation stage and have not yet been substantiated by any court. The recent developments are particularly significant, as the ED recently conducted searches at the homes of two close associates of Riyas.
This action by the ED is considered a major step in the CMRL case, which initially focused solely on the alleged payments to Exalogic Solutions. The Kerala police will now assess the ED’s report and decide on further actions, including whether to file an FIR.
Meanwhile, Riyas has made it clear that he is fully prepared to confront the investigation and legally challenge the accusations.
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