CMRL pay-off case: Kerala HC stays order to lodge FIR against ex-CM Pinarayi Vijayan, kin

The Kerala High Court on Monday stayed the First Information Report registered in the CMRL Exalogic pay-off case involving Keralam Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and his family members. A Division Bench of Justices K. Natarajan and Johnson John admitted the appeals filed by Mr. Vijayan, daughter T. Veena and son-in-law and former Public Works Department Minister P.A Mohammad Riyas against a Single Bench order, directing the registration of FIR in the alleged pay-off case. The court has also stayed further investigation in the case.

The Single Bench had found that an offence was prima facie made out in the letter given by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the State Police Chief, which allegedly contained details of a predicate offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against the accused. The ED was investigating the alleged pay-off case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Subsequently, the accused had approached the Supreme Court, which stayed the State’s investigation for and reverted the case to the Division Bench for reconsideration of whether the appeal by the accused could be admitted. The apex court upheld Mr. Vijayan’s argument that the Single Judge had directed the registration of FIR without hearing him.