CMRL-Exalogic case: Kerala HC defers hearing on plea of Vijayan, Veena, Riyas to Monday

Kochi, Oct 23
The Kerala High Court on Friday deferred to Monday the hearing on the appeal plea filed by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena and her husband, CPI(M) legislator and former state Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, challenging the registration of an FIR in the controversial CMRL-Exalogic corruption case.

The matter was not taken up by the court on Friday and has been posted for Monday.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court directed Vijayan and the others to approach the same division bench of the Kerala High Court that had upheld the single judge's order for registering an FIR in the case.

The apex court's direction came after Vijayan and the others approached it against the High Court division bench's ruling last week.

It was last week that a division bench comprising Justices K. Natarajan and Johnson John had upheld the single judge's order directing the registration of an FIR into the alleged payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct IT firm owned by Veena.

The division bench had also dismissed their plea seeking leave to appeal against the single judge's order.

In its ruling, the bench observed that an accused in a corruption case has no legal right to be heard before the registration of an FIR.

The court also made it clear that its judgment did not take away the applicants' right to pursue constitutional or statutory remedies against the registration of the FIR.

The legal battle centres on allegations that CMRL made payments to Exalogic during the period when Vijayan was Chief Minister.

The payments had come under scrutiny following allegations that they were made without corresponding services being provided.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had been directed to register an FIR and investigate the allegations after a single judge considered a petition seeking a probe.

Vijayan, Veena and Riyas have challenged the move through successive legal proceedings.

The next hearing on Monday is expected to determine how their challenge to the FIR registration order proceeds before the High Court.