ED team attacked, vehicles smashed in Kerala after multi-city raids on Pinarayi Vijayan
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ED team attacked, vehicles smashed in Kerala after multi-city raids on Pinarayi Vijayan
Enforcement Directorate (ED) convoy attacked and vehicles damaged by CPI(M) workers in Kerala following extensive multi-city raids at the residence of former CM Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic money laundering case.
High drama and violence erupted in Kerala on Wednesday (May 27) as a convoy carrying Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials was brutally attacked, with car windows smashed, following a series of coordinated raids on premises linked to former Chief Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan.
The incident took place outside Vijayan's rented residence at Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. An agitated mob, allegedly consisting of CPI(M) workers, blocked the convoy as the central agency sleuths were attempting to leave after a grueling seven-hour search operation. Protesters reportedly threw bricks, stones, and eggs, and used rods and sticks to shatter the windshields and windows of the vehicles, which also had women officials on board. A driver was reportedly injured and hospitalised, while Kerala Police and CRPF personnel struggled to bring the chaotic situation under control.
Also read: ED searches former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence: What is CMRL money laundering case?
The ED’s multi-city crackdown spanned 10 to 12 locations across Kerala, targeting Vijayan’s native home in Kannur, his Thiruvananthapuram residence, and the Kozhikode residence of his son-in-law and former minister, PA Mohammed Riyas. The aggressive central action comes just a day after the Kerala High Court dismissed a petition seeking to quash the ED proceedings, effectively clearing the deck for the agency.
The probe is tied to the high-profile Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) illegal pay-off case. Investigating agencies, including the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), allege that CMRL illegally routed crores of rupees, including ₹1.72 crore paid to Exalogic Solutions, an IT firm owned by Vijayan’s daughter, Veena Vijayan, under the guise of bogus consultancy services.
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Responding to the raids, an undeterred Pinarayi Vijayan, who recently transitioned to Leader of the Opposition following assembly election defeats, stated that the actions were politically motivated.
