Will a case be registered against Pinarayi Vijayan? AG to give legal opinion to govt on Monday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Advocate General (AG) is expected to give the government his legal opinion on the monthly payoff case by Monday. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, who is presently in USA, will return to Kerala on September 17. A final decision on the investigation based on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) report will be taken only after the home minister returns. The ED has informed state police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar that a case can be registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. However, there is a greater possibility that the matter will first be subjected to a preliminary inquiry by the vigilance department.

The Delhi High Court has ruled that the government is not legally obligated to register an FIR solely on the basis of a letter from the ED. However, if there are sufficient grounds to register a case based on the things mentioned in the letter, there are no legal obstacles to register an FIR against Pinarayi Vijayan and others.

Shocking information in ED's letter
The government sources said that the Enforcement Directorate's letter recommending that a case be registered against opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan in the monthly payoff case contains shocking details. It is stated that transactions involving an amount bigger than what has been publicly revealed took place. This is believed to be the reason why the government decided to conduct a legal examination of the matter. Senior government sources inform that a case may have to be registered against Pinarayi Vijayan.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan had stated the other day that the ED report recommending a case be registered against Pinarayi Vijayan would not be rejected. V D Satheesan during a press meet said that the ED's recommendation would be legally examined and appropriate action would be taken, adding that there was no political motive involved.