Kerala HC Defers Hearing on CMRL-Exalogic Case Plea by Pinarayi Vijayan, Veena and Riyas to Monday

The court did not take up the matter on Friday and has scheduled it for Monday.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court directed Vijayan and the other petitioners to approach the same division bench of the Kerala High Court that had upheld an earlier order directing the registration of an FIR in the case. The direction followed their challenge to the division bench's ruling before the apex court.

Last week, a division bench comprising Justices K. Natarajan and Johnson John upheld a single judge's order directing the registration of an FIR into alleged payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions, an IT company formerly owned by Veena.

The division bench also rejected their request for leave to appeal against the single judge's order.

In its ruling, the court observed that a person accused in a corruption case does not have a legal right to be heard before an FIR is registered. However, it clarified that the judgment did not prevent the petitioners from pursuing constitutional or statutory remedies to challenge the registration of the FIR.

**Alleged Payments at Centre of Legal Dispute**

The case concerns allegations that CMRL made payments to Exalogic Solutions during Vijayan's tenure as Kerala Chief Minister. The transactions came under scrutiny amid allegations that payments were made without corresponding services being provided.

Following consideration of a petition seeking an investigation, a single judge directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register an FIR and investigate the allegations.

Vijayan, Veena and Riyas have since challenged the order through successive legal proceedings.

The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. The next hearing before the Kerala High Court on Monday is expected to determine the further course of their challenge to the FIR registration order.