Commotion erupted outside the residence of former Keralam Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition (LoP) Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The matter escalated after CPI(M) workers allegedly attacked a vehicle belonging to Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.
According to news agency ANI reports, the protest broke out during ED searches at 10 locations across Keralam, including premises linked to Vijayan, in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) case.
#WATCH | Keralam: Commotion outside the residence of former Chief Minister and present LoP Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram, as CPI(M) workers attacked a vehicle of ED officials.
— ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2026
The workers are protesting against the central agency over its searches at 10 premises in… pic.twitter.com/fx7Y4xutLB
Ramesh Chennithala Reacts To ED Raids
Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala reacted to the ED raid at Vijayan's residence. He stated that the state government and the Home Ministry had no information regarding it. Speaking to reporters, Chennithala highlighted that the agency had not sought any support from the Keralam government for the operation. “The Keralam government or the Home Ministry has no information about this raid. They did not seek our support either, so we do not know the details of the operation. This question needs to be posed to the ED,” he said.
ALSO READ: TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Resigns From All Party Posts In Big Setback For Mamata Banerjee
He also alleged that there had been an understanding between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the CPI-M in Keralam. “Everybody in Keralam knows there was an understanding between the BJP and the CPM. What happened to that understanding now? They have to tell the people of Keralam. We do not have any relationship with the BJP. We are fighting the BJP. We fought against both the BJP and the CPM, and we came to power,” Chennithala added.
Why Is ED Conducting Raids?
Meanwhile, officials said the raids began early Wednesday and are being carried out at multiple locations based on specific inputs related to the accused in the CMRL financial transactions case. The ED action comes a day after the Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to quash the agency’s probe into the CMRL case.
CPI-M Accuses BJP Of Misusing Central Agencies
Earlier on Tuesday, the CPI(M) alleged the ED raid at Vijayan’s residence as "yet another example" of central agencies being "weaponised" for political vendetta against opposition leaders. In a post on X, the party accused the BJP-led Centre of using agencies like the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department of intimidating political rivals and suppressing dissent.
“The ED raid on the residence of former Keralam Chief Minister and CPI(M) PB Member Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan is yet another stark example of how central agencies are being weaponised for political vendetta. Leaders who consistently challenge the BJP-led Union government and refuse to submit to Sangh Parivar politics are being targeted through intimidation, media trials, and selective investigations. When political opponents cannot be defeated democratically, the BJP resorts to ED, CBI, and Income Tax raids to harass and silence dissent,” the party said.