Kerala HC grants bail to accused in attack on ED officials after search at Vijayan’s residence

The Kerala High Court granted regular bail to several accused in the alleged attack on Enforcement Directorate officials after a search at former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's residence. The ED termed the incident a pre-planned, coordinated assault linked to its investigation

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday granted regular bail to several persons accused of attacking ED officials following a search at former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence in May this year. Justice Kauser Edappagath granted the relief to the accused despite the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claiming that the attack was a “coordinated and organised assault” and not a spontaneous protest.

The detailed order of the court is awaited. The agency had contended that the May 27 attack on its officials cannot be viewed as an ordinary law-and-order incident or a spontaneous public protest, as it happened following the conclusion of a several-hours long search proceedings.

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The ED search was linked to financial dealings between Vijayan’s daughter’s firm and a sand mining company, Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). Investigating agencies allege that Vijayan’s daughter, T Veena, and her firm, Exalogic Solutions, received money from CMRL, a sand-mining company, between 2017 and 2020 for IT and consultancy services that were allegedly never provided.

Veena and CMRL deny any wrongdoing and maintain that the payments were part of a legitimate commercial arrangement. Following the search, as the ED officials were leaving, a mob had attacked the vehicles carrying them, allegedly causing injuries to one of the drivers, a CRPF officer and a member of the search team.

In its affidavit, filed through advocate Jaishankar V Nair, opposing the bail plea of the accused, the ED had claimed that “the allegations disclose a coordinated and organised assault on the officers of a central investigating agency who had lawfully conducted search proceedings pursuant to statutory powers vested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act”. The agency had also alleged that it was a “violent, pre-planned, politically coordinated attack” and dangerous weapons were used in the assault.