Vijayan challenges Kerala court order on CMRL graft case

The move came after the lower bench of the Kerala High Court had mandated the registration of the FIR against Vijayan and his family members in the case related to alleged irregular transactions involving CMRL Exalogic, a subsidiary of Cochin Refineries Limited. The direction included provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act, signalling judicial concern over allegations of improper financial dealings.

The appeal filed by Vijayan and his kin contests the Single Bench's determination that sufficient grounds existed for criminal investigation. The petitioners have argued that the allegations do not constitute the basis for registering an FIR under anti-corruption statutes. Legal arguments presented in the challenge focus on procedural and substantive grounds regarding the nature of the transactions in question.

The case centres on transactions involving CMRL Exalogic, which has been at the centre of accusations regarding financial irregularities. The state government has previously maintained that all business dealings were conducted according to prescribed norms. The High Court's intervention and subsequent legal challenge underscores the high-profile nature of the matter, which has drawn significant political attention in Kerala.

The appeal is expected to be heard by a higher bench of the Kerala High Court, which will examine whether the Single Bench was justified in directing FIR registration. The outcome could influence how investigation authorities proceed in the case and may set precedent for similar matters involving government functionaries and state enterprises in Kerala.