Vijayan denies allegations, Opposes CBI probe into daughter's firm deal

Kochi, Jun 9 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has opposed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a former journalist in the high court, which seeks a CBI probe into the transaction between his daughter's now-defunct company and a private mining firm.

In a counter-affidavit filed in the Kerala High Court on Monday, Vijayan stated that the allegations against him are false and unsubstantiated.

"There is no compelling reason for this Hon'ble court to direct a CBI investigation, that too when other agencies are already in action and when no prima facie case of criminal conduct by me is made out," he said in the counter affidavit.

He said that he has "utmost faith" in the judiciary and the rule of law.

"I have nothing to hide. However, I firmly believe that dragging the Central Bureau of Investigation into this matter at this juncture would be unnecessary and unjustified," Vijayan said while praying to dismiss the petition.

In his PIL, the petitioner claimed that Exalogic solutions, the company of Chief Minister Vijayan's daughter, T Veena, was paid about Rs 1.72 crore by mining firm Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd.

He is asking the high court to order a full probe into what he says are close ties between the company and the chief minister.

In March this year, the High Court had dismissed a plea by Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan seeking a probe against Vijayan over the alleged financial transactions between his daughter’s firm and the private mining company.

Kuzhalnadan had moved the High Court against a vigilance court order rejecting his plea for an investigation against Vijayan over the alleged financial transactions between CMR and Exalogic.

The court then dismissed the plea saying that the MLA "failed" to place before the vigilance court the facts constituting the offence of corruption alleged by him against the CM, his daughter and her IT firm. PTI COR TGB TGB ADB