Absolutely no evidence: Tharoor on CPM claim of Congress behind ED raid on Vijayan
Shashi Tharoor rejected CPI(M)'s allegation that the Congress encouraged the ED raids against former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He said the new Kerala government had begun its tenure "in a spirit of conciliation" and questioned claims that the Union government would act at the behest of an opposition party.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday publicly rejected CPI(M) allegations that the Congress had a role in the Enforcement Directorate raids linked to former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, after CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas claimed the opposition party had “actively encouraged” the central agency action.
In a post on X, Brittas wrote: “Strongly condemn the brazen ED raids on senior leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. This is yet another example of the systematic misuse of central agencies to harass and target political opponents.”
He further alleged: “It is clear that the Congress leadership actively encouraged the ED to target him, just as they did in the case of Arvind Kejriwal.”
Responding publicly, Tharoor dismissed the allegation against the Congress as baseless. “John, there is absolutely no evidence in support of your last sentence,” Tharoor wrote on X.
The Congress MP said the Congress government in Kerala had begun its tenure “in a spirit of conciliation”, pointing out that Vijayan was accorded a place of honour during the swearing-in ceremony of the new government.
Tharoor also noted that Chief Minister V D Satheesan had personally visited Vijayan’s residence after assuming office. “Do you think he would connive at something like this? And from what you have seen of the Union government, do you really think they take their lead from any opposition party, in or out of the state government?” Tharoor said.
CPM CALLS RAIDS ‘POLITICALLY MOTIVATED’
The remarks came amid a political storm over ED raids conducted at premises linked to Vijayan, his daughter Veena Vijayan and others in connection with the alleged CMRL money laundering case.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby termed the raids a “heinous attack” and alleged they were politically motivated.
Speaking in Delhi, Baby claimed the CPI(M) would prove before the public that the raids were aimed at intimidating the party. He also alleged that leaders of the Congress-led UDF had repeatedly questioned why no central agency action had been taken against Vijayan earlier. “I don't know if they are satisfied now, following these raids,” he said.
Senior CPI(M) leader P Jayarajan went further, alleging that the searches were part of a “joint Congress-BJP operation” carried out after a meeting between Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan described the allegations against Vijayan as “deliberately fabricated” and claimed there was no evidence against the former chief minister or his associates.
WHAT IS THE CMRL CASE?
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at 10 locations in Kerala, including the rented residence of the 81-year-old Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, premises in Kannur and properties linked to key persons associated with CMRL.
The searches are part of an investigation into allegations that CMRL made illegal payments worth Rs 1.72 crore to Veena Vijayan’s now-defunct IT firm, Exalogic Solutions, between 2017 and 2020 without receiving any services in return.
The ED registered the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2024 based on a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), which had examined transactions flagged earlier by the Income Tax Department’s interim settlement board.
The raids came a day after the Kerala High Court dismissed a petition filed by CMRL seeking to quash the ED proceedings, allowing the agency to continue its probe.
CPI(M) leaders have maintained that the payments to Exalogic Solutions were legitimate business transactions and said Veena Vijayan had cooperated with both the SFIO and ED investigations.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday publicly rejected CPI(M) allegations that the Congress had a role in the Enforcement Directorate raids linked to former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, after CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas claimed the opposition party had “actively encouraged” the central agency action.
In a post on X, Brittas wrote: “Strongly condemn the brazen ED raids on senior leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. This is yet another example of the systematic misuse of central agencies to harass and target political opponents.”
He further alleged: “It is clear that the Congress leadership actively encouraged the ED to target him, just as they did in the case of Arvind Kejriwal.”
Responding publicly, Tharoor dismissed the allegation against the Congress as baseless. “John, there is absolutely no evidence in support of your last sentence,” Tharoor wrote on X.
The Congress MP said the Congress government in Kerala had begun its tenure “in a spirit of conciliation”, pointing out that Vijayan was accorded a place of honour during the swearing-in ceremony of the new government.
Tharoor also noted that Chief Minister V D Satheesan had personally visited Vijayan’s residence after assuming office. “Do you think he would connive at something like this? And from what you have seen of the Union government, do you really think they take their lead from any opposition party, in or out of the state government?” Tharoor said.
CPM CALLS RAIDS ‘POLITICALLY MOTIVATED’
The remarks came amid a political storm over ED raids conducted at premises linked to Vijayan, his daughter Veena Vijayan and others in connection with the alleged CMRL money laundering case.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby termed the raids a “heinous attack” and alleged they were politically motivated.
Speaking in Delhi, Baby claimed the CPI(M) would prove before the public that the raids were aimed at intimidating the party. He also alleged that leaders of the Congress-led UDF had repeatedly questioned why no central agency action had been taken against Vijayan earlier. “I don't know if they are satisfied now, following these raids,” he said.
Senior CPI(M) leader P Jayarajan went further, alleging that the searches were part of a “joint Congress-BJP operation” carried out after a meeting between Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan described the allegations against Vijayan as “deliberately fabricated” and claimed there was no evidence against the former chief minister or his associates.
WHAT IS THE CMRL CASE?
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at 10 locations in Kerala, including the rented residence of the 81-year-old Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, premises in Kannur and properties linked to key persons associated with CMRL.
The searches are part of an investigation into allegations that CMRL made illegal payments worth Rs 1.72 crore to Veena Vijayan’s now-defunct IT firm, Exalogic Solutions, between 2017 and 2020 without receiving any services in return.
The ED registered the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2024 based on a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), which had examined transactions flagged earlier by the Income Tax Department’s interim settlement board.
The raids came a day after the Kerala High Court dismissed a petition filed by CMRL seeking to quash the ED proceedings, allowing the agency to continue its probe.
CPI(M) leaders have maintained that the payments to Exalogic Solutions were legitimate business transactions and said Veena Vijayan had cooperated with both the SFIO and ED investigations.
