The CMRL-Exalogic case has reportedly expanded to include scrutiny of overseas financial transactions linked to P.A. Mohammed Riyas, son-in-law of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The Enforcement Directorate is said to be considering international assistance, including a possible Letter Rogatory to Dubai, to obtain financial records and trace the beneficiaries of reported transfers. The investigation reportedly covers domestic transactions worth Rs 20.05 crore and a Dubai transfer of UAE dirhams 3.49 lakh. The allegations remain under investigation, and the reported proceedings do not establish guilt.
ED Probes Mohammed Riyas’s Foreign Transactions in CMRL-Exalogic Case, Seeks Dubai Assistance
In the Kerala-linked case, the Enforcement Directorate is looking at international cooperation to trace overseas financial transactions, identify beneficiaries and investigate suspected hawala linkages, sources said.
The CMRL-Exalogic case has now acquired an international dimension, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said to be investigating foreign financial transactions relating to P.A. Mohammed Riyas, son-in-law of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Investigators may also turn to Dubai authorities and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units for assistance in tracing funds and identifying beneficiaries.
Reports said the agency is considering sending a Letter Rogatory to Dubai to obtain financial records and other evidence. The probe examines suspected hawala deals, overseas money transfers, and possible links between financial accounts.
CMRL-Exalogic Case Focuses on Dubai Transactions
The proposed international cooperation would identify where funds were transferred, identify recipients, and determine ultimate beneficiaries. A Letter Rogatory is a formal request for judicial assistance from one jurisdiction to another to obtain evidence for an investigation.
The Egmont Group comprises more than 180 national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) around the world. It enables secure exchange of financial intelligence to assist authorities in investigating money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crime.
The ED is reportedly investigating Rs 20.05 crore of domestic financial transactions and also the transfer of UAE dirhams 3.49 lakh (around Rs 85 lakh) to Dubai. Investigators are asking for information to help them learn more about the circumstances of the transactions.
Financial Records and PMLA Investigation
Handwritten accounts and digital documents seized during searches at places linked to Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan are likely to be examined by investigators as part of the evidence. The records could help establish financial links and clarify the flow of money.
The ED has filed two Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) against Pinarayi Vijayan and P.A. Mohammed Riyas under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reports say.
An ECIR is an internal document used by the ED to start and record a money laundering investigation. The registration does not establish criminal guilt, nor does it prove the allegations being investigated.
It appears that the probe was initiated after the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau registered a vigilance case. The ED is probing financial transactions, suspected hawala transfers, and overseas financial links as part of its investigation.
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Background to the CMRL-Exalogic Payments
The CMRL-Exalogic case pertains to payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions, a company owned by Veena Vijayan. The issue concerns payments reviewed by the Interim Settlement Board of the Income Tax Department.
The payments were initially reported as Rs 1.72 crore for the period 2017-2020. The ED later expanded its investigation to include wider financial dealings, including domestic transfers and money allegedly sent to Dubai.
The international dimension of the investigation could help authorities trace the origin, destination and beneficiaries of transactions under investigation. But the reported requests for help and financial ties are not to be taken as evidence of wrongdoing.
Further developments will depend on the evidence obtained, the response of Dubai authorities and any information exchanged through international financial intelligence channels. Sprouts News will continue to follow major developments as the investigation progresses.
