The Supreme Court kept the FIR intact but paused the investigation for a week so the former Kerala chief minister and his family can pursue appeals before the High Court.

BulletsIn

• On October 21, 2026, a vacation bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana stayed the investigation in the CMRL-Exalogic FIR for one week.
• The bench left the FIR in place but said no investigation would proceed until the appellate forum decides the issues.
• The petitioners are former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter T Veena and her husband, former minister PA Mohamed Riyas.
• The case concerns alleged financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited and Exalogic Solutions, a now-defunct firm linked to Veena.
• On October 9, a Kerala High Court single judge directed the state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to start a criminal case after a report forwarded by the Enforcement Directorate to the police.
• On October 15, a High Court division bench declined to entertain their appeals, holding that an accused in a corruption case has no right to be heard before an FIR is registered.
• The Supreme Court set aside that refusal of leave to appeal and allowed the petitioners to pursue their appeal and seek interim relief before the division bench.
• The bench took exception to the High Court acting in haste, noting that the State had already set up a special investigation team for a preliminary enquiry.
• The dispute turns on information shared by the ED with state police under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and on the police's own duty to decide whether to register an FIR.
• The court cautioned the ED against interfering with the functioning of other investigating agencies.
• Separately, the ED had summoned Vijayan under the PMLA to appear for questioning in Kochi on October 23 in a related money laundering case.