The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and several other locations in connection with the CMRL (Coimbatore Metro Rail Limited) money laundering case. The searches are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving the state-run metro rail corporation.
Details of the Raids
According to sources, the ED teams reached Vijayan's official residence early in the morning and carried out searches that lasted several hours. Apart from the former CM's house, the agency also raided premises linked to key officials and contractors associated with CMRL. The raids are believed to be focused on gathering evidence related to alleged kickbacks and illegal transactions worth crores of rupees.
Background of the Case
The CMRL money laundering case stems from allegations that senior officials and political figures were involved in a conspiracy to siphon off funds meant for the metro rail project. The ED had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after taking cognizance of a state police complaint. Earlier, the agency had questioned several individuals and conducted searches at multiple locations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Pinarayi Vijayan, who served as Kerala CM from 2016 to 2021, has denied any wrongdoing. His political party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), termed the raids as politically motivated and accused the central government of misusing federal agencies to target opposition leaders.
Political Reactions
The raids have sparked a political firestorm, with the CPI(M) staging protests across the state. Senior party leaders alleged that the ED action was an attempt to divert attention from the central government's failures. Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala defended the searches, stating that the law is taking its course and that no one is above the law.
The ED is expected to file a detailed report on the searches in the coming days. The investigation is ongoing, and further raids cannot be ruled out as the agency gathers more evidence.
