Mob fury, vandalised vehicles, injured officials: Attack on ED team outside Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence mirrored Sandeshkhali

KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/ KOZHIKODE: Violence erupted outside former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Bakery Junction residence on Wednesday after Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials completed the search operations as part of its probe into alleged financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd. (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions Private Ltd., a firm owned by Vijayan’s daughter T Veena.The clashes broke out when Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) workers, who had gathered outside the residence since morning to protest against the ED action, allegedly attacked the vehicles carrying the officials. Protesters reportedly smashed the front and rear windshields of a vehicle using bricks and wooden sticks.The ED vehicle driver sustained injuries and was shifted to the medical college hospital after reportedly suffering an eye injury. Police have so far arrested four persons, while five are in custody in connection with the violence.The FIR filed by police states that around 300 identifiable persons had assembled outside Vijayan’s residence, though their identities are yet to be established. Protests were also reported in other parts of the state following the ED action.In a statement, the ED said, “When the search team reached the premises where Veena was residing, her father was also present. Investments and bank FD details were found during the search. The same are being analysed.”The search report prepared by ED after the raid at Vijayan’s residence, ‘Pravik’, in Pinarayi stated that no incriminating documents or devices were recovered from the house.Meanwhile, Vijayan alleged that the ED searches were part of a targeted crackdown against opposition leaders across the country.Speaking to media after the officials left, he said such actions would not weaken him or the CPM. “This is only the beginning. Nobody should harbour the illusion that such actions can intimidate or weaken us,” he said, raising a clenched fist in greeting to party workers gathered outside.A total of 10 premises in the state capital, Ernakulam, Kannur, Kozhikode and Bengaluru were covered under the searches, which began around 7am and were accompanied by security personnel from the CAPF and CRPF.The searched premises included the rented house of the 81-year-old former CM at Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram, the Kozhikode residence of his son-in-law and former minister P A Mohammed Riyas, and Vijayan’s family house in Kannur. Premises linked to CMRL managing director S N Sasidharan Kartha and joint managing director Saran S Kartha were also searched under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), officials said.The central agency launched the action after Kerala high court on Tuesday dismissed a writ petition filed by CMRL seeking to quash the ED proceedings in the case. The court held that the initiation of the PMLA investigation was valid. It stated that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), which is the investigation arm of the ministry of corporate affairs, prosecution complaint constituted the predicate offence for initiating the ED proceedings. The agency registered the PMLA case based on a prosecution complaint filed by the SFIO in April 2025.CMRL, a publicly listed company in which the public holds a 48.75% stake and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation holds a 13.41% stake, has been under scrutiny since an income tax department search in 2019 allegedly uncovered fake expenses amounting to around Rs 130 crore. The company had reportedly admitted to fictitious expenses before the Income Tax Settlement Commission.Subsequently, the SFIO launched a probe into the company’s financial dealings. Based on the SFIO investigation, the ED initiated the money laundering probe.According to the SFIO prosecution complaint filed before the Additional Sessions Court-VII, Ernakulam, on April 3, 2025, Exalogic Solutions allegedly received Rs 2.78 crore from CMRL under the guise of IT consultancy services. Another firm linked to CMRL management allegedly extended loans worth Rs 50 lakh to Exalogic.