Overview
- The Kerala High Court on Tuesday refused to quash the Enforcement Directorate’s ECIR, removing a legal barrier to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act inquiry.
- The ED carried out coordinated searches on Wednesday at about 10–12 locations in Kerala, including Pinarayi Vijayan’s Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur homes, the residence of his daughter and CMRL offices.
- The agency said it seized digital records, investment papers and bank fixed deposits, froze about ₹18.36 crore in roughly 242 accounts, lodged FIRs and began forensic analysis of the material recovered.
- Protests by CPI(M) workers outside Vijayan’s residence turned violent as crowds attacked vehicles carrying ED officials, police identified suspects and at least four party workers were arrested.
- Investigators trace the case to 2019 Income Tax scrutiny and an SFIO complaint that allege roughly ₹1.72 crore in payments from CMRL to Exalogic Solutions for services not rendered, a finding the ED cites as the predicate for its money‑laundering probe.