Stepping up his campaign against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan, Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan on Saturday, August 19, alleged that Veena’s Bengaluru-based company Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd had received more money from mining company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), besides the Rs 1.72 crore that has been at the centre of controversy over the past two weeks. Exalogic Solutions provides software services.
Kuzhalnadan alleged that there are documents to prove Exalogic took an additional amount of Rs 42 lakh from CMRL. He also claimed that Veena has not paid the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on the Rs 1.72 crore received from CMRL, and challenged Veena to produce records of the same proving him wrong.
Veena Vijayan landed in the eye of controversy after media reports mentioned last week that CMRL had paid her and Exalogic a sum of Rs 1.72 crore during 2017-2020 for IT-based services rendered to the firm. However, it was also found based on information provided by a few CMRL company officials that no service was rendered by her firm to the company.
Alleging abuse of power, Kuzhalnadan in his press conference had described the act as an “organised loot by one family.” He claimed that what has surfaced is only the “tip of the iceberg.” According to him, there was no reply from Veena when he had asked a few questions to her about her company. He also found fault with CPI-M Kerala state secretary MV Govindan and the party secretariat responding to the allegations on behalf of Veena.
“If that be the case, I wish to point out from their audit reports that her company has paid only Rs 6 lakh as taxes, while she has to pay Rs 30 lakh as taxes, as her firm has collected Rs 1.72 crore as service charges from CMRL,” Kuzhalnadan said.
The Muvattupuzha legislator also sent an e-complaint to Finance Minister KN Balagopal, in the presence of media, alleging that there has been tax evasion by Veena's firm.
“Kerala is struggling for finances. I challenge the CPI-M and their leaders that either they accept that what Veena received was illegal gratification or present evidence that proves otherwise,” he added. He also pointed out that her IT firm, according to their audit reports, mentions receiving foreign currency. But these details were missing in the I-T returns of the firm, he claimed.
In response to the allegations, Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) leader AK Balan challenged if Kuzhalnadan would be willing to apologise and quit politics if his allegations were proved to be wrong. “If Veena produced documents validating her monthly IGST payments before the public, will he wrap up his political activities? Veena is being targeted only because she is a woman and the Chief Minister’s daughter,” he said.
Balan also pointed out that the Income Tax department had not served any notice to Veena against non-payment of taxes, and that baseless allegations were being raised against her without verifying facts.
After Kuzhalnadan’s scathing tirade over the past two weeks over the allegations against CM Pinarayi’s daughter, the CPI-M had also accused the Congress leader of illegal financial dealings and tax evasion, and demanded a comprehensive probe into the finances of the legislator and his law firms. In this wake, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI-M, staged a march on Saturday to Kuzhalnadan's office in Muvattupuzha. The Congress leader responded that he was being targeted for raising his voice against corruption and exposing the financial irregularities involving the CM’s daughter.
With IANS inputs