ED Alleges Daughter of Pinarayi Vijayan Transferred Funds To Dubai Via Hawala
ED alleges Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena transferred funds to Dubai via hawala; BJP demands resignation.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, transferred approximately Rs 85 lakh to Dubai through hawala channels. The agency stated that these transactions were uncovered during raids at multiple locations linked to Veena and her associates. Handwritten notes and digital evidence were reportedly seized, detailing both the Dubai transfers and additional transactions in Indian rupees. Veena Vijayan has not publicly responded to the allegations, while her husband, PA Muhammad Riyas, maintains that all transactions were legal.
According to The Indian Express, the ED’s official release specified that Veena’s handwritten accounts recorded a transfer of 3.49 lakh UAE Dirham (about Rs 85 lakh) to Dubai, and Indian rupee transactions totaling approximately Rs 20.05 crore. The agency also seized statements and digital evidence, including a photograph of a SIM card allegedly obtained in another person’s name for use in a WiFi router, which is suspected to have been used for internet-based calls.
As reported by The Hindu, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded Pinarayi Vijayan’s resignation as Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly following these revelations. BJP State vice president Shone George alleged that the transactions were part of a long-standing pattern of corruption and claimed that companies linked to Veena were created to facilitate such activities. He further asserted that the money sent abroad was subsequently transferred to the United States, referencing details related to the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank.
As highlighted by The News Minute, the ED’s statement indicated that the handwritten notes seized during a May 27 search at premises linked to Veena Vijayan and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) promoters contained names of individuals, amounts handled or spent, and details of the Dubai transfers. The agency claimed these amounts were over and above the payments Veena received from CMRL, which had previously been under scrutiny for alleged fraudulent payments under the guise of IT consultancy services.
“Several statements and digital evidence relating to transfer of money through hawala routes were seized. Veena has been handling money beyond her known sources of income. The amounts stated in her handwritten accounts were over and above the amounts received from CMRL,” the ED stated, as per official releases.
Coverage revealed that the ED’s investigation was initiated following findings by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) into alleged corporate fraud and bribe payments by CMRL. The SFIO had reported fictitious cash expenses of Rs 182 crore by CMRL over 15 years, with some of these expenses allegedly routed to Veena’s now-defunct company, Exalogic Solutions Private Limited. The ED also noted that Empower India Capital Investment Private Limited, operated by CMRL’s managing director, extended loans to Exalogic despite repayment failures.
Analysis showed that the ED’s recent raids targeted locations associated with CPI(M) leaders close to Veena’s husband, PA Muhammad Riyas. The agency suspects that the SIM card and WiFi router obtained in another person’s name were intended for secure communications related to the alleged transactions. All individuals named in Veena’s handwritten accounts, as well as the person who provided the SIM card, were also subject to searches.
“We have earlier discussed receiving money through a bank account for a service provided. People who have received the service also said services were received, whoever was given also said that,” PA Muhammad Riyas stated in response to the ED’s claims.
Further details emerged as the ED maintained that its investigation is ongoing and that further legal action will be taken in accordance with the law. The agency’s findings have intensified political debate in Kerala, with opposition parties demanding accountability and further scrutiny of the transactions linked to Veena Vijayan and CMRL.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.