SC to hear Pinarayi Vijayan family's pleas in CMRL-Exalogic case on Oct 21
Synopsis
Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena, and son-in-law P.A. Mohammed Riyas will face the Supreme Court on 21 October, contesting a Kerala High Court order that cleared the way for a VACB FIR over alleged ₹3.28 crore payments by CMRL to Exalogic Solutions — a company Veena founded — with the ED calling it a bribe routed through political influence.
Key Takeaways
The Supreme Court will hear petitions by Pinarayi Vijayan , T.
Mohammed Riyas on 21 October at 10.30 am .
The petitions challenge a Kerala High Court single judge's order directing the VACB to register an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act .
The ED alleged that CMRL paid ₹3.28 crore to Exalogic Solutions for services not rendered, amounting to an alleged bribe to Vijayan .
Vijayan is named first accused; Veena is second accused; seven people in total are named, including CMRL owner Sasidharan Kartha .
The Kerala HC Division Bench refused to stay the FIR order and has reserved its verdict on whether the appellants could even challenge it.
The single judge's order also quashed the state's move to form an SIT for a preliminary inquiry.
The Supreme Court of India is set to hear, on 21 October 2025, a clutch of petitions filed by Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M] veteran and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena, son-in-law and former Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, and others. The petitions challenge a Kerala High Court order directing the registration of a vigilance FIR in the CMRL-Exalogic alleged pay-off case.
What the Supreme Court Will Hear
According to the cause list published on the apex court's official website, a Bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana will take up the matter at 10.30 am on Wednesday. The lead petition, registered as a Special Leave Petition (Criminal), was filed by Vijayan himself, challenging High Court proceedings initiated on a plea by advocate K.M. Shajahan. Connected petitions have been filed by Veena, Riyas, and others.
Background: The High Court Orders
The petitions follow a sequence of judicial developments that began with a single judge's order on 9 October directing the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register an FIR incorporating offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. That same order quashed the state government's decision to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into information supplied by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
A Division Bench of Justices K. Natarajan and Johnson John subsequently refused to grant interim relief to Vijayan and the other appellants, declining to stay the single judge's order. The Division Bench also reserved its verdict on a preliminary question — whether Vijayan, Veena, Riyas and the others, who were not parties to the original writ petition, could even challenge the single judge's ruling. Following the order, Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham directed the formation of a probe team, with Deputy Inspector General of Police Thomson Jose supervising the investigation.
What the CMRL-Exalogic Case Alleges
The case centres on alleged payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd, a company founded by T. Veena, during the first Pinarayi Vijayan government. The ED has alleged that Exalogic received ₹3.28 crore from CMRL for services that were reportedly never provided, and that the payments were made due to political influence, amounting to an alleged bribe to Vijayan.
Vijayan is named as the first accused in this case, while Veena is the second accused. A total of seven people have been named, including CMRL owner Sasidharan Kartha. Vijayan and his family have contested all the allegations.
Why This Case Matters
This is a significant legal challenge involving a sitting-turned-former chief minister and direct family members, making it one of the most high-profile corruption-related proceedings in Kerala in recent years. The outcome of the Supreme Court hearing on 21 October could determine whether the VACB probe proceeds unimpeded or faces further judicial scrutiny. Notably, the case also raises a procedural question about the standing of parties who were not part of the original petition to challenge lower court orders — a point the Division Bench has yet to resolve.
All eyes will be on the apex court's direction when the Bench convenes Wednesday morning.
Point of View
But for how Kerala's political establishment navigates judicial scrutiny of alleged corruption. The procedural question of whether Vijayan and his family, absent from the original writ petition, can even challenge the single judge's order is itself a telling sign of how reactive the defence strategy has been. If the apex court allows the VACB probe to proceed, it removes the last shield between the allegations and a full-blown criminal investigation into a sitting-turned-former CM. The broader pattern — ED findings, a quashed SIT, a refused stay — suggests the case is steadily narrowing the legal room for those named.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CMRL-Exalogic case about?
The CMRL-Exalogic case involves alleged payments of ₹3.28 crore made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd, a company founded by T. Veena, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The Enforcement Directorate alleged the payments were for services never rendered and amounted to a bribe routed through political influence during the first Pinarayi Vijayan government.
Why is the Supreme Court hearing this case?
Pinarayi Vijayan, T. Veena, P.A. Mohammed Riyas, and others filed Special Leave Petitions challenging a Kerala High Court single judge's order that directed the VACB to register an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Kerala HC Division Bench declined to stay the order, prompting them to approach the Supreme Court.
What did the Kerala High Court order?
A single judge of the Kerala High Court on 9 October directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to register an FIR incorporating offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The same order quashed the state government's decision to constitute an SIT for a preliminary inquiry based on ED inputs.
Who are the accused in the CMRL-Exalogic case?
Pinarayi Vijayan is named the first accused and T. Veena the second accused. A total of seven people have been named, including CMRL owner Sasidharan Kartha.
What happens next after the Supreme Court hearing?
The Supreme Court Bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana will hear arguments on 21 October. Depending on the outcome, the court may stay or allow the VACB probe to continue. Separately, the Kerala HC Division Bench has reserved its verdict on whether Vijayan and family members had the standing to challenge the single judge's order at all.
