Vrhovni sodnik bo verjetno ustanovil posebno zaslišanje za Vijayanovo prošnjo med premorom za desetero dni

Pinarayi Vijayan, former Chief Minister of Kerala and current Leader of the Opposition, has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Kerala High Court order directing the registration of an FIR against him in the alleged ₹278-crore Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL)-Exalogic bribery case. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday (October 16, 2026) agreed to consider the petition during the Supreme Court’s Dasara holiday period. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra and advocate Krishna Dev Jagarlamudi, representing Vijayan, requested an early hearing, noting that an 82-year-old man faces potential arrest. Vijayan’s petition argues that registering an FIR against him would cause “grave prejudice and irreparable harm.” He claims no evidence exists linking him to the case, stating that the allegations rest solely on a retracted statement and his familial relationship with his daughter, T. Veena. The petition asserts that the same accusations have repeatedly been dismissed by courts, including the Supreme Court, and that Vijayan was not given an opportunity to respond before the High Court issued its order. The High Court’s Single Judge Bench had directed the registration of the FIR on October 9, 2026, following a report from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This followed the ED sharing information under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 with the State Police in September 2026. The State government then ordered a preliminary inquiry, which was swiftly set aside by the High Court, leading to the FIR’s registration on October 12. Vijayan’s appeal to the High Court was dismissed by a Division Bench on Thursday, which ruled that an accused in a corruption case does not have a legal right to be heard before an FIR is registered. The bench noted that Vijayan, his daughter, and his son-in-law were not parties to the initial petition filed by advocate K.M. Shajahan, who is now a respondent in the Supreme Court proceedings. The FIRs allege that Exalogic Solutions, a defunct company owned by T. Veena, received ₹3 lakh per month as IT consultancy fees, while Veena herself was allegedly paid ₹5 lakh monthly as a consultant, despite no evidence of actual services rendered. These allegations remain under investigation and judicial review. The Supreme Court is scheduled to resume hearings on October 26 after the Dasara break. Chief Justice Kant suggested that a special bench might be constituted during the holidays if necessary, depending on the availability of judges. The matter highlights ongoing legal disputes surrounding the CMRL-Exalogic case, with Vijayan and his family seeking relief from potential coercive actions by law enforcement authorities.