Overview
- The Enforcement Directorate carried out coordinated searches at locations linked to former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CMRL, seizing electronic devices and documents that investigators have sent for forensic analysis.
- The material under scrutiny includes Veena Vijayan’s mobile phone and laptops from CMRL executives and investigators say the findings could justify summoning her for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
- CMRL has asked the Kerala High Court to halt the ED probe on the ground that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office is already examining the transactions and the court is due to hear that plea.
- Raids that began during the week of May 27 sparked large protests in Kerala, police registered wide FIRs naming hundreds, have arrested dozens so far, and a court denied bail to the first five accused in the attack on ED teams.
- Political leaders have sharply split over the operation with CPI(M) calling the actions politically motivated and state officials and the ED defending the probe, a clash that now shifts to legal fights over jurisdiction and next investigative steps.