"No political witch hunt": Keralam HM Ramesh Chennithala says law will take its course in CMRL-Exalogic payoff case

The minister addressed ongoing developments surrounding the controversial CMRL-Exalogic payoff case and the appearance of names including that of former CM Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter and his son-in-law, maintaining that transparency will prevail. Ramesh Chennithala said,"All case records and investigation details need to be digitised. Only then can the government and the department take timely decisions in anti-corruption efforts. We are living in the age of Artificial Intelligence. This is a paperless society, and governance across the world is becoming increasingly data-driven."

Keralam Home and Vigilance Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Friday called for a digital overhaul of the state's anti-corruption machinery. The minister addressed ongoing developments surrounding the controversial CMRL-Exalogic payoff case and the appearance of names including that of former CM Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter and his son-in-law, maintaining that transparency will prevail. "Let the new names involved in the CMRL-Exalogic payoff case come out. I have already stated my position regarding my name appearing in the CMRL diary. This case is not being used to settle political scores. The law will take its own course, and there will be no political witch hunt," Ramesh Chennithala said.

The State Home Minister asserted that modern data systems are essential to maintain administrative transparency and swift accountability. Addressing the media, Chennithala underscored the necessity of technological integration and noted that paperless administration is vital for effective oversight, adding that credibility is the most important factor. "All case records and investigation details need to be digitised. Only then can the government and the department take timely decisions in anti-corruption efforts. We are living in the age of Artificial Intelligence. This is a paperless society, and governance across the world is becoming increasingly data-driven,” Chennithala told reporters.

Addressing the operational conduct expected of law enforcement personnel, Chennithala stressed that public trust depends entirely on balancing absolute impartiality with strict judicial fairness. He said, “Credibility is the most important factor. The guilty deserve no leniency, but no innocent person should be punished. Only then will people have faith in the Vigilance Department. Ensuring lawful punishment for the accused is essential, and officers must act with utmost vigilance."

On Thursday, while demanding swift legal accountability and raising serious questions about the Keralam government's intentions, BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar and State Vice President Shone George mounted a joint offensive against the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF)over the CMRL-Exalogic investigation. Speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, Chandrasekhar expressed deep scepticism over state-level probes, warning citizens that Special Investigation Teams (SITs) formed by the state government often end up diluting major corruption investigations.

"There is something very wrong in Keralam's politics. Several years ago, many kilos of gold went missing from Sabarimala. The then government formed an SIT. Two years later, nobody knows how much gold is missing. Who was responsible? Nobody has gone to jail. When the sitting government of Keralam talks about an SIT, we must all—who are anti-corruption and want a corruption-free government—must get alarmed and worried because it signals that it is a cover-up," Chandrasekhar remarked. Targeting Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan, the BJP chief questioned why the Congress leadership has hesitated to press for a formal First Information Report (FIR) despite substantial evidence in the Exalogic Systems deal.

"What is the problem for V.D. Satheesan today, given the face of evidence, the quantum of evidence that exists that conclusively proves that there has been a crime committed in Exalogic Systems, and there are criminals who have benefited from that crime, to file an FIR? What is his reluctance? This is an important question, and the only possible answer is that VD Satheesan's name is also on that list. There cannot be any other conclusion," Chandrasekhar alleged. Echoing Chandrasekhar’s concerns, BJP State Vice President Shone George disclosed that formal administrative communications have already reached the state government regarding the CMRL scam following central statutory disclosures, but criticised the government's proposal for an SIT inquiry instead of a direct enforcement action.

"Today we got an order from the Chief of Police, ordering a preliminary inquiry, a safety inquiry on the CMRL scam... It's a statutory disclosure by a central agency. And the police are the authority to take action on it, and they have given this letter to the government. And the government itself gave an opinion to form an SIT... We demand the vigilance inquiry be ordered immediately. I have suspicions about this SIT inquiry," George stated. The BJP leaders called for an independent Vigilance probe, insisting that any attempt to manage the investigation through state-controlled police panels would undermine transparency in the financial corruption probe.

The CMRL-Exalogic case relates to allegations surrounding transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, a company linked to former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan. (ANI)