Clean chit for CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan

Kochi, Jul 28: The Union Government on Monday, July 28, informed Kerala High Court that no company by the name of Kamala International, allegedly linked to CPI(M) Kerala Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, existed in Singapore.

In a statement filed by Assistant Solicitor General P Parameswaran Nair, the Centre said it was alleged that Mr Vijayan had earned a ''commission'' from Canadian power company SNC Lavalin and invested it in an entity called Kamala International in Singapore. Inquiries in this regard with the Government of Singapore by the Foreign Tax Division of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had revealed that there was no such entity in Singapore. The statement said that regarding the education of Mr Vijayan's son, an enquiry by the Foreign Tax Division was in progress

The statement said that regarding the allegations of tax evasion by 'Swaralaya', a cultural organisation in which Kerala Education Minister M A Baby was a prominent member, the Director General of Income Tax, New Delhi, had been requested to take further steps, if found necessary, as the organisation was located in New Delhi.

The statement was filed in response to a petition filed by T P Nandakumar, Chief Editor, 'Crime' magazine, alleging that Mr Vijayan, Mr Baby and Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac had indulged in tax evasion and praying for action against them.

UNI