ED Plea Against Pinarayi: Legal Opinion Expected Today or Tomorrow
"The legal opinion is expected to receive today or tomorrow. Once it is received, the matter will be discussed with the CM and a decision will be taken," he said
Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday said the government was yet to receive legal opinion on the Enforcement Directorate's letter seeking registration of a case against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and son-in-law P A Mohammed Riyas in the CMRL case.
He said the issue would be discussed with Chief Minister V D Satheesan and a decision taken once the legal opinion was received.
Chennithala said the Home Secretary had asked him what needed to be done after receiving the ED report, following which he directed him to obtain legal opinion.
"The legal opinion is expected to receive today or tomorrow. Once it is received, the matter will be discussed with the CM and a decision will be taken," he said.
He said the ED report contained several matters and the Advocate General had been asked to examine all of them in detail and provide legal advice.
Asked by reporters about the alleged inclusion of names of political leaders, including him, in connection with receiving money from Kochi-based mining company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), Chennithala said neither he nor the government had any concern over the matter.
"No one should feel reassured. The names of several people, including BJP and CPI(M) leaders, are yet to come out. The government is ready for any investigation," he said.
The ED had recently written to the state police chief seeking registration of an FIR against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T, her husband and state minister P A Mohammed Riyas and some others, based on what it described as evidence gathered during its probe and searches conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The federal agency has alleged that CMRL made fraudulent payments of Rs 2.78 crore to Veena's now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions, under the guise of "IT consultancy services".
The ED had searched premises linked to Veena, who was living with Vijayan at a rented accommodation in Thiruvananthapuram, in June and subsequently questioned her.
