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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly defended his daughter T Veena after central investigation agencies intensified their probe into an alleged illegal payment scandal involving her now-defunct IT company, Exalogic Solutions. Veena is under scrutiny by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and may soon face a case from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The controversy stems from payments worth ₹2.70 crore allegedly made by private mining firm Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) to Veena’s firm between 2018 and 2020. Investigations claim these were made without any actual services being rendered. A 2023 Income Tax report flagged ₹1.72 crore as “illegal payments” from CMRL to Exalogic.
CM Vijayan, in a fiery media interaction, accused opposition parties of using his daughter to target him politically. “I know you want my blood, but you will not get it easily,” he said, responding to repeated media queries and opposition demands for his resignation.
Who is T Veena?
T Veena, a software engineer by qualification, previously worked with tech major Oracle and later became CEO of R P Techsoft International, part of the Ravi Pillai-led RP Group. In 2014, she founded Exalogic in Bengaluru a decision often questioned by critics in light of the CPI(M)’s rhetoric on promoting IT within Kerala.
Her name has surfaced in several political debates over the years, from her admission to a private engineering college seen as controversial by CPI(M)’s standards to her entrepreneurial ventures outside the state.
As central agencies tighten their grip, the controversy surrounding Veena has become a major political flashpoint in Kerala, with the opposition portraying it as a test of the CM’s moral authority and governance ethics.
Political Firestorm Over Alleged Illegal Payments
The SFIO is probing a ₹182 crore financial fraud within CMRL, which includes inflated expenses and fake billing. T Veena has been named among the accused. The Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs has also granted approval to initiate prosecution against her in the case.
Vijayan accused the media of downplaying Exalogic’s claim that the payments were for services rendered, stating that GST and income tax were duly paid. “Why are you hiding the fact that everything went through proper channels?” he asked, dismissing the accusations as politically motivated.
In March 2024, the Enforcement Directorate began its probe following a complaint by Shone George, Kottayam district panchayat member and son of veteran politician PC George. Shone, now aligned with the BJP, alleged financial irregularities and sought investigation into Exalogic’s dealings.
The issue has triggered sharp criticism from both the Congress and the BJP, with both demanding the CM’s resignation. However, Vijayan said, “You can keep hoping for my resignation,” reiterating that the real target of the allegations is himself, not just his daughter.
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