New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) The Supreme Court, on Monday, dismissed a petition filed by Congress legislator Mathew Kuzhalnadan seeking a Vigilance probe into the alleged monthly payment transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, the now defunct IT firm of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, with Justice Vinod Chandran, rejected the plea while observing that courts should not be converted into platforms for political battles.

“Political disputes should be resolved outside the courtroom,” the Chief Justice remarked.

Justice Chandran, concurring with the view, said that while Kuzhalnadan’s active role in disaster management and relief work was commendable, such activism “need not be extended to every sphere”.

Kuzhalnadan had approached the apex court challenging the Kerala High Court’s decision upholding the Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court’s order that dismissed his request for an inquiry.

Both these courts had found no basis to order a Vigilance investigation into the matter.

Following the dismissal, the Congress MLA said that his petition was rejected on technical grounds, but asserted that his political and legal fight over the controversial monthly payment issue would continue.

The controversy originated from Kuzhalnadan’s allegation that CMRL, a Kochi-based company, made monthly payments to Exalogic, suggesting a possible conflict of interest involving the Chief Minister’s family.

The state government and those concerned have consistently denied the charges, terming them “politically motivated”.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court will hear arguments related to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) probe into the same issue on October 28 and 29.

The Supreme Court’s observation comes amid heightened political tensions in Kerala, with the Opposition Congress-led UDF pressing for transparency in the Exalogic deal, while the ruling LDF said that all allegations are part of a targeted smear campaign.

–IANS

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