ED registers case against 27 over attack on officials during raid at Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case against all 27 accused, including CPI(M) and Student’s Federation of India (SFI) activists, who were earlier booked by the State police for allegedly attacking ED officials during a search operation at the residence of former Chief Minister and current Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the Exalogic-Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) pay-off case in May.

The raid was conducted on May 27, 2026 at Mr. Vijayan’s then rented house, where his daughter T. Veena, an accused in the case, was residing. ED officials were allegedly attacked while returning by car after concluding the raid, with the private vehicle engaged by the agency sustaining substantial damage. Following this, the Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram registered a criminal case invoking charges including attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, destruction of public property, and obstruction of government officials.

“All those named in the police First Information Report will be arraigned as accused in our case as well. Charges in the police case, which are also covered by the scheduled offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), will be invoked against them,” said ED sources.

On June 28, 2026, the State government had removed T. Geena Kumari as prosecutor in the case following a request by the Thiruvananthapuram City Police, citing her failure to oppose the bail application of the ninth accused, Harish Kumar, a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) worker. She was replaced by A. Santhosh Kumar as Special Public Prosecutor.

Of the 27 accused, all except one, Santhosh, a native of Palayam in Thiruvananthapuram, remain absconding, with a lookout notice issued against him. Adarsh B.S., an SFI activist and the 27th accused, was the last to be arrested. He had fled to the United Arab Emirates after the alleged attack and was apprehended upon arrival at Chennai airport on August 10, 2026.

Meanwhile, the ED had the other day submitted a detailed report to the State Police Chief seeking registration of a separate First Information Report under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other relevant laws against Mr. Vijayan, former Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, and Ms. Veena, who is Mr. Riyas’s spouse, in the CMRL-Exalogic pay-off case. The report accused Mr. Vijayan of receiving a bribe of ₹3.28 crore through his daughter.