Kochi, Jun 17 (PTI) Veena T, daughter of former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, was on Wednesday questioned by the ED for over nine hours in connection with a money laundering case involving her now-defunct IT firm and its alleged links to mining company CMRL.

Veena appeared before the Enforcement Directorate close to 10.30 am following a fresh summons issued to her by the agency and left its office at around 8 pm.

A heavy police presence was deployed outside the ED office when Veena arrived in the morning with her husband, CPI(M) MLA P A Mohamed Riyas, and in the evening when she left.

The agency had earlier asked her to appear before its Kochi unit on June 12, but she had said she was unable to appear, citing health reasons.

She was asked to appear before the agency along with relevant documents related to transactions involving her IT firm, Exalogic Solutions Private Ltd.

On Monday, the ED had questioned Kartha's daughter in the matter. On Tuesday, it questioned the son and wife of CMRL founder Sasidharan Kartha in connection with the case.

The probe pertains to allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd made payments amounting to Rs 2.78 crore to Exalogic without receiving any services in return.

According to the ED, another company, Empower India Capital Investments Private Limited (EICPL), operated by CMRL Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha, had extended loans worth Rs 50 lakh to Exalogic despite the company allegedly failing to make timely repayments.

The agency has alleged that Veena and the management of CMRL, led by Kartha, generated "proceeds of crime" through these transactions.

The ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on the basis of a prosecution complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office before a court in Ernakulam in April 2025.

The SFIO is the investigation arm of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

CMRL came under the scanner of central agencies following an Income Tax Department raid in January 2019, which allegedly detected financial irregularities, including certain expenses suspected to be fictitious and amounting to around Rs 130 crore.

Former BJP Kerala president and party national executive committee member Kummanam Rajasekharan said the ED action showed that the law would take its own course with an uncompromising stand against corruption.

He said it was a strong legal warning to those engaged in looting the common man's money, and alleged that transactions between family members of those in power and private companies were "illegal" and "unbecoming of the democratic system". PTI HMP SSK

Money laundering probe over alleged sham payments and loans draws ED questioning in transactions linked to proceeds of crime. Enforcement Directorate questioning in a money laundering probe concerned alleged transactions between a now-defunct IT firm and a mining company, including payments said to have been made without corresponding services and loans allegedly extended despite delayed repayment. The agency alleged that these dealings generated proceeds of crime and summoned relevant documents relating to the firm's transactions. The investigation was registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on the basis of a prosecution complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office.