ED raids Pinarayi Vijayan's homes, CPI(M) workers hit streets

Bengaluru: Search operations by the Enforcement Directorate at former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan's houses in Thiruvananthapuram and in his native Pinarayi village in Kannur district sparked protests by CPI(M) workers in the state as well as in Delhi.

Party workers attacked ED's cars in Thiruvananthapuram and resorted to demonstrations across Kerala and in Delhi, without any formal call by party leaders, taking to streets in large numbers as they viewed the central agency's action as BJP's attack on CPI(M) itself.

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ED officials searched 10 premises linked to the former CM and his son-in-law Mohammad Riyas in connection with payments made from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd, an Aluva-based listed company, to some individuals towards suspected fictitious expenses. Vijayan's daughter, Veena Vijayan, also came under ED's lens as a suspected beneficiary.

BJP MLA V Muraleedharan sought to know from the CPI (M) politburo member to clarify the services his daughter provided for the money collected.

While the state's Congress-led UDF regime distanced itself from the ED action, CPI(M) pointed out that the agency's action came less than 24 hours after chief minister VD Satheesan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. Moreover, in the run-up to the assembly polls, Congress had questioned ED's silence on Vijayan, accusing BJP and LDF of having a secret deal.

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CPI(M) Targets Congress, BJP

CPI(M) in a post on X said that BJP enjoyed Congress' support in targeting Vijayan. Rahul Gandhi, during his visits to Kerala, publicly asked why ED was not arresting Vijayan. The party said that BJP earlier carried out similar "politically motivated" ED raids on Arvind Kejriwal with Congress support. Both Congress and BJP have repeatedly attempted to eliminate Vijayan politically and physically, it said.