ED team attacked in Kerala, car windows smashed after raids on Pinarayi Vijayan

CPI(M) workers on Wednesday attacked a vehicle carrying Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Thiruvananthapuram during protests over raids on residences of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter in an alleged pay-off case.

The party workers blocked the ED team’s vehicle, which also had women officials on board, when they were trying to leave after the raids and damaged its windscreen using bricks and rods while raising slogans against the central agency. The convoy comprised four ED officials along with eight CRPF personnel and one of the drivers injured in the incident and has been hospitalised.

Police and central security personnel struggled to bring the situation under control as the vehicle was targeted as the state capital has witnessed hours of protests and police action since morning, with large numbers of party workers taking to the streets.

The protests erupted amid ED raids at 10 locations across Kerala, including Vijayan’s current residence in Thiruvananthapuram, his native home in Kannur, and the Kozhikode residence of his son-in-law and former minister Mohammed Riyas.

Vijayan and his family members remained inside the residence after the searches began early in the morning, while hundreds of CPI(M) supporters gathered outside, staging protests against the central agency.

During the commotion, some protesters allegedly hurled plastic bottles, helmets and stones at security personnel deployed at the premises. Senior CPI(M) leaders later intervened, pacified the workers and persuaded them to withdraw from the violent demonstrations.

WHAT IS CMRL PAY-OFF CASE

The money laundering case revolves around allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) made payments to Exalogic Solutions, an IT firm owned by Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter, Veena Vijayan, without receiving any actual services in return.

Investigating agencies, including the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), claim Exalogic received around Rs 2.7 crore from CMRL over several years under the guise of consultancy and IT service agreements. The agencies are probing whether the payments amounted to illegal gratification or political favouritism.

The SFIO investigation has also uncovered a Rs 182 crore financial fraud within the mining company, in which several others are also accused.

The searches came a day after the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea by CMRL seeking to quash the ED proceedings in the case.

CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby alleged that the ED raids at the residences of Vijayan and others were "politically motivated" and termed them a "heinous attack". Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Baby said the party would prove before the public that the raids were driven by political motives.

Vijayan has previously dismissed the allegations against his daughter, claiming they were aimed at tarnishing his image and defaming him.

The CPI(M) veteran was recently voted out of power after the Congress-led UDF won the Kerala Assembly elections last month. He has since taken over as the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly.