CMRL-Exalogic case: ED questions Veena T again

Kochi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) once again questioned Veena T, daughter of leader of opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic case on Thursday.Veena, who arrived at ED’s Kochi office around 9.30am, remained indoors till 8.30pm.

Her husband, MLA P A Mohamed Riyas, waited for her during the questioning after which they immediately left the premises.

Sources said that she was questioned for nearly 10 hours on Thursday, and she will be summoned again next week.Two days after she was questioned for the first time on June 17, the central agency sleuths inspected her bank lockers. ED is also in the process of questioning others related to the case.Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) probe into Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) revealed alleged fraudulent cash expenses of Rs 182 crore over a span of 15 years.

ED’s allegation is that one of the fake expenses booked by CMRL was towards a payment to Veena. ED claims that her company, Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd, allegedly received fraudulent payments totalling Rs 2.78 crore from CMRL under the guise of IT consultancy services.Further, ED says that Empower India Capital Investment Pvt Ltd (EICPL), operated by CMRL managing director Sasidharan Kartha, extended loans to Exalogic totalling Rs 50 lakh despite Exalogic failing to make timely repayments.ED had earlier obtained the entire volumes of documents compiled by SFIO in the case. Veena is likely to have been confronted with these findings as well during Thursday’s questioning.