1 hour ago
1
Continuing its probe into the alleged pay-off lawsuit involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd. (CMRL) and erstwhile Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s girl T. Veena, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has started questioning the CMRL Chief Financial Officer K.S. Suresh Kumar.
Mr. Kumar appeared astatine the ED Kochi zonal bureau connected Monday (June 22, 2026) astir 11 a.m. He had deposed earlier the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and had reportedly shared captious information. SFIO nether the Ministry of Corporate Affairs had allegedly uncovered fictitious currency expenses of ₹182 crore generated by the CMRL implicit a span of 15 years, which was reportedly utilized to bribe assorted persons.
The fiscal manager and a elder clerk of CMRL are besides apt to look earlier the ED connected Tuesday (June 23, 2026). The investigative bureau has issued a caller announcement to Ms. Veena to look for different circular of questioning connected June 29. The caller summons comes adjacent connected the heels of the ED officials inspecting Ms. Veena’s slope lockers successful Thiruvananthapuram connected June 19. The ED seems determined to amass maximum imaginable grounds from the related parties earlier her questioning.
Initially, she was questioned for astir 8 hours connected June 17, 2026. A time before, the ED had questioned Shiby S. Kartha, girl of Mr. Sasidharan Kartha and manager of an associated steadfast of the CMRL; Saran S. Kartha, associated managing manager of the CMRL; and Jaya S. Kartha, woman of Mr. Sasidharan Kartha, successful her capableness arsenic manager of the EICIPL.
The ED probe pertains to allegations that CMRL made payments totalling ₹2.78 crore to the now-defucnt Exalogic Solutions Pvt. Ltd., owned by Ms. Veena, without receiving immoderate services successful return. The ED is besides reportedly probing loans worthy ₹50 lakh extended to Exalogic by Empower India Capital Investments Pvt. Ltd. (EICIPL) operated by Mr. Sasidharan Kartha, contempt her institution failing to marque timely repayments.
The ED lawsuit stems from a prosecution ailment filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) earlier a tribunal successful Ernakulam successful April 2025. According to the the SFIO, the probe limb of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Exalogic and CMRL allegedly entered into an statement nether which payments were made without immoderate corresponding services being rendered.
