Pinarayi Vijayan, the Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, said on Saturday that the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) move to implicate him in the CMRL‑Exalogic payoff case was politically driven and part of a shared agenda between the centre’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the state’s United Democratic Front (UDF).
During a press conference in Kannur, Vijayan questioned whether the ED’s pursuit of charges against him was a coordinated effort to target Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders. He noted that non‑BJP parties have viewed the ED as a tool of the Union government to intimidate political opponents, citing cases involving Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Vijayan said Congress leaders in Kerala appeared to endorse the ED’s attempts to bring charges against CPI(M) figures.
He pointed out that the Vigilance Court, the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court had dismissed the ED’s accusation that he had used his office as Chief Minister to help CMRL, a chemical company in which the Kerala government holds a minority stake, obtain illicit profits through payments to Exalogic, a now‑defunct software consultancy owned by his daughter. Vijayan said the transactions were conducted through legitimate banking channels and were tax‑compliant.
Vijayan challenged the ED and the Congress government to prove that he had given CMRL any undue advantage in return for bribes routed through Exalogic. He added that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office’s allegations are currently under review in the Delhi High Court. The Supreme Court’s dismissal of the ED’s claims underscores the legal basis for his defense.
