ED raids former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s houses, daughter Veena’s firm in CMRL case

Thiruvananthapuram: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, May 27, carried out raids at the houses of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The raids are learnt to be in connection with the alleged deals of Vijayan's daughter Veena T and her Bengaluru based firm Exalogic Solutions with mining firm Cochin Ministers and Rutiles Limited (CMRL).

As per reports, raids are being carried out at around ten locations including Vijayan's house in Kannur, his rented residence in Thiruvananthapuram and the Bengaluru firm since the early hours of Wednesday. Veena's statement was also being recorded by the ED, it is learnt.

CPI(M) has alleged that it was a vindictive action by the central agencies to settle political scores. CPI(M) also launched demonstrations against the ED raids.

CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby said in a social media post that the CPI(M) denounced the ED raids. He said that this is a targeted attack on a top opposition leader by the BJP government. "Such actions will not intimidate Pinarayi Vijayan or the CPIM. Is the UDF government complicit in this raid, he asked," wrote Baby.

The raids happened a day after Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. 

The ED action came a day after the Kerala High Court dismissed a petition of the CMRL seeking quashing of the ED proceedings.

The probe was based on a finding of the Income Tax interim settlement board that the mining firm paid Rs. 1.72 crore to the Chief Minister's daughter and her Bengaluru-based IT firm Exalogic Solutions.

Serious Fraud Investigation Office's (SFIO) finding that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter received Rs. 2.70 crore from a controversial mining firm.