Kerala High Court Directs FIR Against Pinarayi Vijayan and Kin in CMRL-Exalogic Payoff Case

The Kerala High Court's single bench directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register an FIR against former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena, and son-in-law P.A. Mohammed Riyas in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic payoff case. The VACB registered two separate FIRs on October 12, 2026. Pinarayi Vijayan is named as the first accused in one FIR concerning alleged payments from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions, a firm owned by his daughter Veena, who is also an accused. The second FIR names Riyas as the first accused and involves alleged illegal hawala transactions, with Veena also listed as an accused.

The CMRL-Exalogic case gained public attention in June 2023 following findings by the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board that Exalogic Solutions received monthly payments from CMRL between 2017 and 2019 without providing discernible services. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a money laundering probe and submitted information to the State Police Chief. On October 9, 2026, the single bench directed the VACB to register an FIR, ruling that a preliminary inquiry was not required given the prima facie evidence from the ED. Vijayan, Veena, and Riyas filed appeals before a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on October 12, 2026, seeking to quash the single bench's order and the subsequent FIRs.