Overview
- The Enforcement Directorate issued a fresh summons for T. Veena to appear in person at its Kochi office on Wednesday, June 17, after she sought a short postponement from a June 12 date on health grounds.
- Investigators allege CMRL paid about ₹2.78 crore to Exalogic Solutions, a company linked to Veena, and that Empower India Capital extended a ₹50 lakh loan to Exalogic that was not repaid on time.
- The ED carried out coordinated searches on May 27 at around 10 locations including residences linked to Pinarayi Vijayan and Veena and subsequently froze roughly ₹18.36 crore in 242 bank accounts identified in the operations.
- A special court has allowed the ED to obtain copies of SFIO documents used in the probe and the Kerala High Court dismissed petitions by CMRL and officials seeking to quash ED proceedings, clearing the way for further investigation.
- The case has put political pressure on former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M), with rivals demanding answers and the investigation likely to shape legal and political developments in Kerala over the coming weeks.