Leader of the Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan, greets Pro tem speaker G. Sudhakaran after taking oath at the state assembly, in Thiruvananthapuram | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran

Enforcement Directorate raids at residences linked to former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family over the CMRL–Exalogic case have triggered strong protests from CPI(M) workers across the state.

Large crowds gathered outside Vijayan’s homes in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, raising slogans against ED officials. The party alleged that the searches are politically motivated and carried out with the connivance of the UDF government.

Senior CPI(M) leader P. Jayarajan described the action as a “political conspiracy” by the BJP and Congress aimed at weakening the party, drawing parallels with developments in West Bengal and Tripura. He also pointed to the timing of the raids following a meeting between Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The CPI(M) state secretariat has called an urgent meeting to decide its next steps, stating that the party will address the CMRL case both politically and legally.

The ED action follows the Kerala High Court’s dismissal of a petition by CMRL to quash the investigation. Officials are probing payments allegedly made by CMRL to Exalogic, a firm linked to Veena Vijayan, between 2017 and 2021, reportedly amounting to ₹1.72 crore under the label of IT and marketing consultancy services without corresponding work.

Armed CISF personnel accompanied ED teams during coordinated searches that began at daybreak, including at Vijayan’s recently rented residence in Thiruvananthapuram, where family members were present during the operation.

Published on May 27, 2026