Stunned Kerala watches as ED raids premises of former CM Vijayan in CMRL case

A sense of rude shock gripped Kerala on Wednesday as ED officials raided the places linked to former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the state in the alleged CMRL monthly payment case, allegedly involving his daughter.

Armed central security personnel stood guard outside the two-storey house at Bakery junction and his residence in Kannur district while Enforcement Directorate (ED) teams carried out searches there.

Television reporters, cameramen and photographers rushed to the places soon after news of the raid broke.

Sources said Vijayan, a politburo member of the CPI(M), and his family members were inside his rented residence at Bakery junction in the state capital during the searches.

Simultaneous raids were also being conducted at the Kozhikode residence of his son-in-law and former minister P A Mohammed Riyas.

CPI(M) workers assembled outside Vijayan's residence in Pinarayi village in Kannur district and raised slogans against the ED, alleging it was a "politically motivated" action of the BJP-led central government.

CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby alleged that the ED raids at the residences of Vijayan and others were "politically motivated" and called them a "heinous attack".

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Baby said the CPI(M) will prove before the people that the raids were "politically motivated".

He claimed that two ministers in the cabinet of current Chief Minister V D Satheesan also allegedly received money from the Cochin Minerals And Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and the same should have been investigated.

The ED action is linked to allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) paid Rs 1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions, owned by Vijayan’s daughter T Veena, between 2018 and 2019 without receiving any services in return.

Officials said searches were being conducted at around 10 premises across Kerala under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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