The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, transferred money to Dubai through hawala channels, citing handwritten accounts, statements, and digital evidence recovered during its investigation. The agency said its findings emerged from a probe into alleged illegal payments by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to an IT company owned by Veena.
Searches Across Eight Locations
The ED's claims followed searches at eight locations as part of the investigation. In an official release, the agency said Veena had transferred money to Dubai in both UAE dirhams and Indian rupees. Veena had not responded to the raids and subsequent developments, according to the material available.
What the ED Says It Found
The agency said several statements and digital evidence relating to alleged transfers through hawala routes had been seized. It further alleged that Veena had handled money beyond her known sources of income, and that amounts recorded in handwritten accounts were over and above those received from CMRL.
According to the ED, handwritten notings showed 3.49 lakh UAE dirhams, stated to be equivalent to about ₹85 lakh, as having been transferred to Dubai. The agency also said the amount maintained in the accounts in Indian rupees was approximately ₹20.05 crore — figures that emerged specifically from a careful examination of the seized handwritten records and digital material, the kind of detailed financial reconstruction that reliable auditing services in India are built around, painstakingly cross-referencing informal notings against known income sources to identify discrepancies.
Veena's husband, Muhammed Riyas, told the media in Kozhikode that all transactions had been carried out legally, and said the ED investigation would be addressed both legally and politically.
How the Case Originally Began
The Income Tax Department had earlier found that Veena's IT firm, Exalogic Solutions, received ₹2.78 crore from Kochi-based CMRL under the guise of IT consultancy services. Empower India Capital Investment Private Limited, operated by CMRL Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha, had also given ₹50 lakh as a loan to Veena's firm, despite the company's failure to make repayments, according to the report.
Following the Income Tax Department's findings, the ED initiated an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, based on a Serious Fraud Investigation Office probe into alleged corporate fraud and bribe payments.
A Second Round of Searches
The latest searches came about three months after an earlier exercise conducted on May 27, at several locations connected to Veena and Vijayan, including their residences. The ED alleged that handwritten accounts maintained by Veena were found during those earlier searches. According to the agency, the notes contained names of individuals, amounts handled or spent, and details of money allegedly transferred to Dubai.
A SIM Card Used in Someone Else's Name
The ED also said digital evidence seized from Veena contained a photograph of a SIM card obtained in another person's name, allegedly for use in a WiFi router. The agency suspects the SIM card and router were intended for communication through internet-based calls, potentially as a way to avoid conventional call tracking.
According to the ED, people whose names appeared in Veena's handwritten account, as well as the person who allegedly provided the SIM card, were among those searched on Tuesday.
What Remains a Matter of Investigation
The investigation centres on the agency's allegations regarding financial transactions, hawala transfers, and payments involving CMRL and Veena's company. It's important to note that these claims remain allegations made by the investigating agency at this stage, while Riyas has consistently maintained that the transactions in question were conducted legally.
FAQs
Q1. What is the ED's core allegation against Veena Vijayan?
The ED alleges that Veena Vijayan transferred approximately ₹20.05 crore, along with 3.49 lakh UAE dirhams (about ₹85 lakh), to Dubai through hawala channels, based on handwritten accounts and digital evidence seized during searches.
Q2. How did this investigation originally begin?
The case originated after the Income Tax Department found that Veena's IT firm, Exalogic Solutions, received ₹2.78 crore from CMRL for alleged IT consultancy services, leading to an ED probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Q3. How has Veena Vijayan's family responded to these allegations?
Her husband, Muhammed Riyas, has stated that all transactions were carried out legally and that the ED investigation would be addressed both legally and politically.