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BJP leader V Muraleedharan on Friday said that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should step down following the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) received prosecution sanction against his daughter Veena Vijayan in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL)-Exalogic case.
The former Union Minister asserted that the Kerala government had lost its moral authority to remain in power. Speaking to ANI, Muraleedharan said, "If a chargesheet for serious fraud has been filed against the Kerala CM's daughter (Veena Vijayan), then the Chief Minister has no authority to continue in power because of moral responsibility. He has authority over the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, which owns 30 per cent of the shares in the company against whom this investigation is happening (CMRL). This means he has committed fraud..." He further asserted, "The Kerala government, his daughter, and CMRL have been trying to obstruct the investigation... The CPI (M) are calling it harassment and a vendetta. These same allegations are always raised by all INDI alliance partners when they are caught committing a crime... I demand that the Kerala Congress leaders aligned with CPI (M) stop allegations against the Union Finance Minister's visiting Kerala CM. It was only a courtesy visit... Kerala Congress leaders should apologise to the Finance Minister and the people of Kerala for misleading them." Police deployed water cannons to disperse Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) protesters in Kerala on Friday as they staged a demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) case. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) received prosecution sanction against his daughter, Veena Vijayan in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL)-Exalogic case. According to the SFIO, a payment of Rs 2.73 crore was made to Veena Vijayan and her company, Exalogic, without any service being rendered. The SFIO's findings indicate that CMRL and Exalogic had entered into an agreement under which the money was transferred to the company. The agency has concluded that these payments were fraudulent. Veena Vijayan has been named as an accused in the SFIO's charge sheet. The investigation found that she allegedly received monthly payments from CMRL despite no work or service being delivered in return. Reacting to the development, Kerala Opposition Leader V D Satheesan said the Chief Minister has no right to remain in office. (ANI)
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