A day after the office of the Kerala state Finance Minister replied to Mathew Kuzhalnadan that Veena Vijayan's company had paid Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) for payments received from Cochin Minerals and Rutiles Ltd (CMRL), the Muvattupuzha MLA said the statement was nothing but a ‘capsule’ released by the ruling party when questioned about the corruption.
On Sunday, October 22, CPI(M) leader AK Balan had demanded an apology from Mathew Kuzhalnadan for making baseless allegations against Veena Vijayan, daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Speaking at a press conference Mathew Kuzhalnadan said the real issue was monthly payments Veena Vijayan and Exalogic took for the service they had not provided. The reply by Finance Minister KN Balagopal did not answer the question he had raised and it is the minister who should apologise, he said.
Mathew Kuzhalnadan said Rs 60 lakh was credited to Veena Vijayan’s account between January 1, 2017 and January 17, 2018, the date on which she took GST registration. “So, she cannot pay GST before January 17, 2018,” he said.
Mathew Kuzhalnadan said he got the letter from the media and his office is yet to receive any letter from the office of the Finance Minister.
On October 22, Department of State Goods and Services Taxes, Kerala confirmed that Veena Vijayan had paid the GST for the Rs 1.72 crore that she and Exalogic, her Bengaluru-based company, had received for the service to a Kochi-based CMRL.
The controversy arose after a report of the Interim Settlement Board of the Income Tax Department, claimed that Veena's company had not provided services to the CMRL, but still received money.