Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said that the State government is presently awaiting legal advice regarding the communication received from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which calls for the registration of a case against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T. Veena and former Minister and Ms. Veena’s husband P.A. Mohamed Riyas on corruption allegations in the CMRL-Exalogic pay-off case.
Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday (September 18, 2026), Mr. Chennithala said the information received under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was initially handed over to the State Police Chief and subsequently forwarded to the Home Secretary. When the Home Secretary sought guidance, the matter was referred for legal counsel.
“The government expects to receive the legal opinion shortly, after which an appropriate decision will be taken in consultation with the Chief Minister. The relevant files and reports have also been submitted to the Advocate General for review,” Mr. Chennithala said.
On the controversy surrounding the raid on the Reporter TV office, the Home Minister strongly defended the actions of the Kerala Police and maintained that the government’s approach had been entirely transparent.
Dismissing allegations of high-handedness and encroachment on media freedom, Mr. Chennithala explained that the Kalamassery police registered an FIR against the Reporter Broadcasting Company over alleged financial fraud and tax evasion relating to the failed attempt to bring the Argentina national football team and its former captain Lionel Messi for an international, friendly match in Kochi, and obtained search warrants from the court before conducting searches simultaneously at five locations.
No journalist mistreated
“The police have confirmed that no journalist was mistreated or intimidated, broadcasting was not disrupted for even a single second, and the entire search was videographed in the presence of independent witnesses to ensure full legal compliance,” he said.
He added that all police actions remained subject to judicial scrutiny and could be legally challenged in court. The Minister also maintained that the government had no role in deciding the course of the investigation, with the Special Investigation Team granted complete autonomy in its operations.
Published – September 18, 2026 04:47 pm IST
