CPI(M) welcomes HC stay on FIRs against Vijayan, cinema
The CPI(M) on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s stay on the VACB FIR and investigation of former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his relatives in the alleged CMRL bribery case for four weeks, while the BJP termed it “unfortunate”.
Besides keeping the FIRs and investigations in the cases adjourned, the High Court also stayed a single-judge order dated October 9 directing the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to lodge an FIR against Mr Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and her husband PA Mohamed Riyas based on information provided by the alleged Directorate of Law Enforcement (CMRL) in bribery.
CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan welcomed the verdict and called it support for the rule of law.
He also claimed that the order vindicated the party’s stand that the alleged Cochin Minerals and Rutil Ltd (CMRL) bribery case was “fabricated” to target Mr Vijayan and the CPI(M).
“Though the case was initially supposed to be against Veena and her now-defunct company Exalogic Solutions, it should have targeted Mr. Vijayan, Mr. Riyas and the CPI(M). The Supreme Court upheld the rule of law by disbelieving false narratives in favor of continuing the FIRs,” he claimed.
Mr. Govindan also claimed that the HC verdict exposed the “Narendra Modi-ED-VD (Satheesan) collusion” against the CPI(M).
“As we have said in the past, we will legally and politically prevent attacks against the party through this cooperation,” he told reporters.
On the other hand, BJP State Vice President Shone George termed the Supreme Court’s decision as “unfortunate”.
Mr. George argued that the State Government was responsible for such an order of the High Court.
“From the very beginning, the state government was thinking of ways to protect Mr. Vijayan, Ms. Veena and Mr. Riyas in this matter. This view was echoed by the Advocate General who represented the state in the Supreme Court.”
“Despite the filing of FIRs, the AG told the court that the government is in favor of a preliminary investigation. We are strongly against a standstill,” he asserted at a press conference here.
Mr. George argued that if the petitioner, advocate KM Shajahan, had not approached the High Court seeking registration of a case in this matter, no FIR would have arisen at all.
He also pointed out that the High Court only stayed the decision on the single judge and stayed the FIR and investigation. “It does not say that Vijayan did not receive bribes or that he is innocent, although some claim in this regard,” he said. “No one should be misled by such claims,” he added.
Neither the Congress-led UDF government nor the ruling front leaders have yet commented on the Supreme Court verdict.
Published – 26 Oct 2026 21:04 IST