Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 12: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) will register two FIR in the controversial cases at the Vigilance Court here on Monday, naming former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) legislator and former Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas as the first accused in separate cases.

The first case pertains to the CMRL-Exalogic monthly payments, in which Vijayan is the first accused. The second case involves the alleged corruption money received by Riyas, who was the tourism minister in the second LDF cabinet and is the husband of T. Veena, the daughter of Vijayan.

Veena is the second accused in both the cases.

The move follows a Kerala High Court single bench directive to register cases and conduct a full-fledged investigation into allegations arising from monthly payments made by the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions, a company owned by Vijayan’s daughter, Veena, and alleged benefits extended to the company by those holding public office.

In the first case, relating to the CMRL-Exalogic transactions, Vijayan will be the first accused and Veena the second accused.

In the second case, Riyas will be the first accused and Veena the second accused.

The two FIRs will examine the distinct allegations against the accused and the circumstances surrounding the payments and alleged favours.

The High Court had directed the Vigilance to register cases on the basis of the Enforcement Directorate’s report instead of conducting a preliminary inquiry.

The order marks a significant step in the politically sensitive controversy, which has remained under investigation by Central agencies and has triggered a prolonged political confrontation in Kerala.

The court had also set aside the police chief’s order constituting a special investigation team without the government’s approval.

The government is expected to issue a fresh order appointing a special team recommended by the Vigilance Director, in accordance with the court’s observations on the authority to constitute such a team.

All relevant documents held by the Crime Branch have been handed over to the Vigilance.

The agency’s position is that prior sanction is not required to proceed with the investigation in view of the High Court’s specific direction.

Meanwhile, sources familiar with the developments said Vijayan is moving ahead with a petition before the High Court’s division bench later on Monday, challenging the single bench order.

His move could open a fresh legal battle over the scope and procedure of the Vigilance investigation.

The registration of the two FIRs is expected to intensify the political and legal ramifications of the CMRL-Exalogic case, with the investigation now required to establish whether the payments were linked to any undue official favours.

The Uttar Pradesh government is set to increase the monthly honorarium of around 60,000 village watchmen, or ‘gram praharis’, by Rs 1,000, starting October 13.

The proposed increase will raise their monthly honorarium from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,500, marking a 40 per cent hike. Each village watchman will receive an additional Rs 12,000 annually following the increase.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to announce the decision during an event in Bareilly on October 13.

The Chief Minister is also scheduled to felicitate village watchmen at the Bareilly Police Lines during the programme.

The move comes after the state government raised the honorarium of cooks, Anganwadi workers and panchayat assistants in recent months. The government is now preparing to provide financial relief to village watchmen, who form an important link in the rural policing and information network.

Attached to local police stations, village watchmen relay information about suspicious activities, local disputes, and law-and-order issues to the police. They also help maintain communication between villages and police stations. They have been demanding an increase in their honorarium, and the proposed announcement is expected to address that demand.

With an estimated 60,000 village watchmen across the state, the proposed hike is expected to impose an additional financial burden of around Rs 7 crore per month and Rs 84 crore annually on the state exchequer.

Funds for the increase are likely to be provided for in a supplementary budget.

The government has taken similar decisions to increase the earnings of other categories of workers receiving an honorarium or allowance.

The monthly honorarium of around 3.53 lakh cooks preparing midday meals in government-run basic education schools has been increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000.

The honorarium of Anganwadi workers has been raised by Rs 4,000 per month, while that of Anganwadi helpers has been increased by Rs 2,000 per month.

Similarly, the monthly honorarium of more than 57,000 panchayat assistants has been raised from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000. The daily allowance of Provincial Guards (Prantiya Rakshak Dal) volunteers has also been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 600.

Separately, the government is considering increasing monthly pensions for senior citizens, destitute women and persons with disabilities from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500. The proposal, which has received in-principle approval from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is likely to be placed before the state Cabinet in the second half of November.

The schemes currently cover more than 67 lakh senior citizens, 42 lakh destitute women and 12 lakh persons with disabilities. If approved, beneficiaries would receive an additional Rs 6,000 annually.

Two men, including a microfinance branch manager and a colliery employee, were killed after their motorcycle collided head-on with a Scorpio SUV on the Tamas River bridge on National Highway-30 in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar district, police said on Monday.

According to police, the tragic accident occurred around 11.30 p.m. on Sunday on the Maihar-Rewa route. The motorcycle was heading towards Rewa, while the SUV was travelling in the opposite direction towards Maihar.

The collision was so severe that the front portion of the SUV was completely damaged. The occupants of the SUV allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene, police said.

Both motorcycle riders sustained critical injuries and were taken to the Civil Hospital in Maihar with police assistance. Doctors declared them dead on arrival, following which their bodies were shifted to the hospital mortuary.

The deceased were identified as Shivam Bathre (28), a resident of Shahpura Bhitauni in Jabalpur district, and Sujit Kol (32), a resident of Mauhari village in Satna district.

“Both men sustained critical injuries in the head-on collision. They were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Maihar, where doctors declared them dead,” a police official said.

Bathre worked as a branch manager at Swatantra Micro Finance in Amarpatan and lived in rented accommodation there. He was the only son in his family and had married in 2024. His wife gave birth to a son just 15 days before the accident.

Kol was employed as a supervisor at a colliery in Ambikapur. He had been married for five years and is survived by his wife and daughter.

According to preliminary information, Bathre had visited his home in Jabalpur on leave and parked his motorcycle at Maihar railway station. While returning to Maihar by train, he met Kol. The two then set out for Amarpatan on Bathre’s motorcycle, where the accident occurred.

“The occupants of the Scorpio fled after abandoning the vehicle. We are investigating the accident, and efforts are being made to trace those involved,” a police officer said.

The vehicles involved in the accident were a motorcycle bearing registration number MP 20 X 2815 and a Scorpio SUV with registration number UP 37 F 9818.