ED Raids Pinarayi Vijayan’s Residence in CMR-Exalogic Money Laundering Case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, in connection with the CMR-Exalogic money laundering case. The searches, which began around 6:15 AM, were still ongoing after three and a half hours, with officials questioning Veena Vijayan. The ED also raided 12 locations across the state, including the homes of senior CMR officials and the Bengaluru office of Exalogic Solutions.
The raids follow a Kerala High Court order on Tuesday that lifted a stay on the ED investigation, which was earlier obtained by the accused. The case involves allegations that CMR, a Kerala-based cooperative society, illegally transferred ₹1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions between 2018 and 2021 without receiving any services. The ED’s action is based on a complaint filed in January 2021, and the agency had earlier issued notices to the accused. The CPM has termed the raids a political vendetta, with party leader P. Jayarajan alleging a joint operation by the BJP and Congress. The ED is expected to continue its searches, with further legal proceedings likely after the weekend court holiday.
