The SIT will be overseen by Additional Director General of Police (Crime Branch) H. Venkatesh, with Superintendent of Police P. Vikraman appointed to lead the day‑to‑day investigation, officials familiar with the matter said.
Although the team’s composition has been outlined, the Home Department has not yet issued the formal order that would officially constitute the SIT, according to the same sources.
The investigative unit will draw on officers ranging from Deputy Superintendents of Police and Inspectors to specialists from the Cyber Division, reflecting the financial‑technology focus of the alleged scheme.
The probe was launched after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted a report to State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money‑Laundering Act, urging registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Vijayan, Veena, Riyas and several of Riyas’s associates.
Chandrasekhar told reporters that the police will first conduct a preliminary inquiry based on the ED’s communication, emphasizing that a separate vigilance inquiry will not be opened at this stage. He said the initial examination is intended to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to file a criminal case.
If the preliminary review finds grounds for prosecution, the SIT would move forward with a formal investigation, potentially leading to charges under anti‑corruption and money‑laundering statutes.