Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 24 (ANI): Demanding swift legal accountability and raising questions about the Kerala government’s intentions, BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar and State Vice President Shone George criticized the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) over the CMRL-Exalogic investigation.
Speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, Chandrasekhar expressed skepticism over state-level probes, warning that Special Investigation Teams (SITs) formed by the state government could dilute major corruption investigations.
“There is something very wrong in Kerala’s politics. Several years ago, many kilos of gold went missing from Sabarimala. The then government formed an SIT. Two years later, nobody knows how much gold is missing. Who was responsible? Nobody has gone to jail. When the sitting government of Kerala talks about an SIT, we must all—who are anti-corruption and want a corruption-free government—must get alarmed and worried because it signals that it is a cover-up,” Chandrasekhar said.
Targeting Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, the BJP chief questioned why the Congress leadership has hesitated to press for a formal First Information Report (FIR) despite what he described as substantial evidence in the Exalogic Systems deal.
“What is the problem for V.D. Satheesan today, given the face of evidence, the quantum of evidence that exists that conclusively proves that there has been a crime committed in Exalogic Systems, and there are criminals who have benefited from that crime, to file an FIR? What is his reluctance?” Chandrasekhar alleged.
Echoing Chandrasekhar’s concerns, BJP State Vice President Shone George said formal administrative communications had already reached the state government regarding the CMRL case following disclosures by a central statutory agency. He criticized the government’s proposal for an SIT inquiry instead of direct enforcement action.
“Today we got an order from the Chief of Police, ordering a preliminary inquiry, a safety inquiry on the CMRL scam… It’s a statutory disclosure by a central agency. And the police are the authority to take action on it, and they have given this letter to the government. And the government itself gave an opinion to form an SIT… We demand the Vigilance inquiry be ordered immediately. I have suspicions about this SIT inquiry,” George said.
The BJP leaders called for an independent Vigilance probe, arguing that any attempt to manage the investigation through state-controlled police panels would undermine transparency in the financial corruption investigation.
The CMRL-Exalogic case relates to allegations surrounding transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd. (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, a company linked to former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter, Veena Vijayan. (ANI)
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