Thiruvananthapuram, 20 August (H.S.):Former Kerala minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas has rejected as “completely false” a media report linking him to alleged financial irregularities in the controversial “monthly payment” case and said he would initiate legal action against the publication.

In a Facebook post, Riyas said he had already given the media a clear response on matters connected with the Enforcement Directorate investigation. He alleged that the latest report was baseless and had attempted to tarnish his reputation by publishing the claims alongside his photograph.

The report claimed that money received by T. Veena from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited for services had been routed through Riyas’s bank account and later transferred to the accounts of several others. It also alleged that ED officials had contacted him twice over the telephone seeking explanations about the purported transactions.

Riyas categorically denied the allegations, describing them as absurd and fabricated. He said he would pursue strong legal action against those responsible for publishing the report.

The former minister said he did not intend to respond daily to unsubstantiated reports appearing in connection with the case, particularly when the investigation was under way and the matter was being dealt with legally.

Maintaining that he had committed no wrongdoing, Riyas said he was fully confident of facing the allegations through the appropriate legal process. He added that both he and his party had already explained their position on what they described as the political motives behind the controversy.

The ED investigation concerns alleged financial transactions involving CMRL and Veena, who reportedly received payments from the company under a consultancy arrangement. The case has triggered a political row in Kerala, with opposition parties demanding a comprehensive investigation into the transactions and the roles of all those allegedly connected with them. He said truth would ultimately emerge through the investigation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman