Hours after Kerala BJP spokesperson Sandeep Warrier came out alleging that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s signature had been ‘forged’ on a government document, the CM denied the allegation and provided proof for the same. Sandeep Warrier, in a press meet on Thursday, showed the media a government document signed by CM Pinarayi and alleged that the signature dated September 9, 2018, was ‘forged’ as during that period, Pinarayi Vijayan was not in Kerala, but was undergoing medical treatment in the United States.

“He was in the US for his medical treatment on September 2 to 23, 2018. On September 3, a file from the general administration department regarding a function for promotion of Malayalam arrived at Pinarayi Vijayan's office. On September 9, this file was signed by Vijayan. How can this happen, when Vijayan is in the US? This clearly shows that someone else has put Vijayan's signature. The signature also is not an e-signature. So now we all want Vijayan to explain who is putting his signature in his absence," Sandeep Warrier had said.

Soon after the allegation, Opposition party leaders like BJP state president K Surendran, and Member of Parliament PK Kunhalikutty of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) also came out questioning the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Pinarayi Vijayan responded that that signature was not forged and that he himself signed this file by converting the physical documents that needed urgent approval as electronic files.

“Not only this, I had signed 38 other files on the same day similarly,” he said adding that from November 2013, files are being signed using softwares as e-files. The files which are sent to his I-pad are e-signed and are sent back, Pinarayi said, holding up the I-pad in the press meet. He said that the file was sent to him on September 6, 2018 and he signed it and sent back on September 9.

“Everyone knows this including those who raise such allegations. They might have thought it will create a smokescreen for a few hours,” CM added.

Reacting to PK Kunhalikutty’s statement, Pinarayi said that there is no chance that a leader like Kunhalikutty, who had been a minister of the state, did not know about e-files and the software system.

Watch Pinarayi Vijayan's reaction at the press meet: