Kozhikode (Keralam) [India], September 11 (ANI): CPI(M) MLA P A Mohamed Riyas hit out at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over its ongoing probe into financial transactions involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), asserting that his fight against the central agency would continue “till his last breath” and alleged that it had spread “blatant lies”.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Riyas said he was "not afraid" of the central agency and claimed that the agency had raided his residences in Pinarayi and Thiruvananthapuram but failed to recover any money.
“My fight against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will continue till my last breath. I am not afraid of the central agency. The ED has been spreading blatant lies, and my wife, Veena Vijayan, has taken a strong stand before the agency. The ED raided my residences in Pinarayi and Thiruvananthapuram, but did they find even 25 paise?” he said.
Riyas said he would continue to fight for secularism and his political position, while asserting that he was ready to respond to allegations against him.
“I will fight for secularism and my politics till my last breath. The ED also pressured one of my friends to name me, my wife, and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and even threatened to make his daughter an accused. I have always maintained that the investigation should proceed, and I am ready to answer the allegations. I have sent a notice to the ED, and my legal battle against the agency will continue,” Riyas said.
The remarks came after the ED formally approached the Kerala Police on September 8 seeking registration of an FIR against former Keralam Chief Minister and State Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena and son-in-law P A Mohamed Riyas in connection with the alleged CMRL pay-off case.
The ED’s Kochi zone is learnt to have written to the Kerala Police last week seeking registration of the FIR as part of its ongoing investigation into CMRL financial transactions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The development follows searches conducted by the agency at multiple locations in Keralam and Bengaluru in connection with the case. In May, ED officials searched 10 premises linked to CMRL directors SN Sasidharan Kartha, Saran S Kartha, Veena and her company Exalogic Solutions Private Limited.
The agency said it recovered records, digital evidence, investment details and bank fixed deposits during the searches and froze around Rs 18.36 crore across nearly 242 accounts.
Earlier on Thursday, Pinarayi Vijayan defended his daughter Veena Vijayan amid allegations related to transactions involving her company and CMRL, saying all payments were properly accounted for and taxes were paid.
“My daughter is a young woman working in the computer sector. To me, she is still a child. After completing her studies, she worked at Oracle, a world-famous IT company. She left the job when continuing it after marriage became difficult. In the meantime, she has worked in foreign countries as well. Had she continued there, she would have grown to a very high salary scale. Following that, an attempt was made to start her own company. That company provides services to many people. It provides services to many establishments. At one point, a news report I used to hear was that those receiving the services included religious extremists. That there were institutions of religious extremists. It is a very famous charitable trust,” he said. (ANI)
Keralam: "Fight against ED will continue till my last breath", says CPI(M) MLA Mohamed Riyas
