Thiruvananthapuram, Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalandan on Tuesday said he will continue his fight against alleged corruption in financial transactions between a private mining company and the now defunct IT company of T Veena, daughter of Kerala C Pinarayi Vijayan.
His statement came a day after a vigilance court rejected his plea for investigation against Vijayan over financial transactions between private mining company, CMRL, and Veena's IT firm.
Meanwhile, LDF convenor EP Jayarajan claimed that the Kuzhaladan allegations against the CM and the petition in the court are aimed at defeating Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan.
Jayarajan said Kuzhaladan's efforts had gone in vain due to the court order and demanded his resignation.
The Congress MLA said he is disappointed with the court's decision, but his confidence is unaffected and he will take his fight forward by filing an appeal against the order.He said that this is not a petition to punish the CM, but it is a petition demanding a probe into the alleged corruption by the Marxist stalwart.
The Muvattupuzha MLA argued that he was crucified for the fight against corruption following the court order.
"Since I started this fight, I have been facing several investigations, vigilance case, a stop memo against repair works in my ancestral house and investigations regarding my properties," he said.
Kujhalanadan said he had not alleged that Vijayan had received money from the mining company, as the alleged diary entries related to this could not be used as evidence as per Supreme Court rulings.
He said, “Therefore, I have based my case on the money received by Veena T and her company because no one can deny it and no one has denied it.That transaction was done through proper banking channels."
The Vigilance Court on Monday rejected Kuzhalandan's petition saying that essential facts related to corruption were missing in it.
Kuzhalandan had initially approached the special vigilance court here, saying that the vigilance department had refused to investigate the financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and Veena's company, Exalogic.
Later, he changed his stance and demanded a court-monitored investigation into the alleged financial transactions.
“Even if the facts stated in the complaint are accepted at face value, they do not constitute the offense alleged.Of course, there are certain allegations of corruption which have arisen from certain suspicions and apprehensions raised by the complainant. But allegations and suspicions of such suspicion are not factual allegations constituting an offence,” the court had said.
The Congress has been targeting the Chief Minister, his daughter and the CPI(M) over allegations after a Malayalam daily reported that CMRL had paid a total of Rs 1.72 crore to the CM's daughter between 2017 and 2020.
The report cited an interim board decision for the settlement and said CMRL had earlier entered into an agreement with Veena's IT firm for consultancy and software support services.
It was also alleged that although no services were provided by his firm, the amount was paid on a monthly basis "due to his relationship with a prominent person".
His statement came a day after a vigilance court rejected his plea for investigation against Vijayan over financial transactions between private mining company, CMRL, and Veena's IT firm.
Meanwhile, LDF convenor EP Jayarajan claimed that the Kuzhaladan allegations against the CM and the petition in the court are aimed at defeating Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly VD Satheesan.
Jayarajan said Kuzhaladan's efforts had gone in vain due to the court order and demanded his resignation.
The Congress MLA said he is disappointed with the court's decision, but his confidence is unaffected and he will take his fight forward by filing an appeal against the order.He said that this is not a petition to punish the CM, but it is a petition demanding a probe into the alleged corruption by the Marxist stalwart.
The Muvattupuzha MLA argued that he was crucified for the fight against corruption following the court order.
"Since I started this fight, I have been facing several investigations, vigilance case, a stop memo against repair works in my ancestral house and investigations regarding my properties," he said.
Kujhalanadan said he had not alleged that Vijayan had received money from the mining company, as the alleged diary entries related to this could not be used as evidence as per Supreme Court rulings.
He said, “Therefore, I have based my case on the money received by Veena T and her company because no one can deny it and no one has denied it.That transaction was done through proper banking channels."
The Vigilance Court on Monday rejected Kuzhalandan's petition saying that essential facts related to corruption were missing in it.
Kuzhalandan had initially approached the special vigilance court here, saying that the vigilance department had refused to investigate the financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) and Veena's company, Exalogic.
Later, he changed his stance and demanded a court-monitored investigation into the alleged financial transactions.
“Even if the facts stated in the complaint are accepted at face value, they do not constitute the offense alleged.Of course, there are certain allegations of corruption which have arisen from certain suspicions and apprehensions raised by the complainant. But allegations and suspicions of such suspicion are not factual allegations constituting an offence,” the court had said.
The Congress has been targeting the Chief Minister, his daughter and the CPI(M) over allegations after a Malayalam daily reported that CMRL had paid a total of Rs 1.72 crore to the CM's daughter between 2017 and 2020.
The report cited an interim board decision for the settlement and said CMRL had earlier entered into an agreement with Veena's IT firm for consultancy and software support services.
It was also alleged that although no services were provided by his firm, the amount was paid on a monthly basis "due to his relationship with a prominent person".
