ED Raids Pinarayi Vijayan’s Residence in Masapadi Case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted simultaneous raids on Tuesday at the residences of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, as part of the Masapadi case investigation. The searches, which also covered 10 other locations across Kerala and Bengaluru, including the flat of Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan and the home of former minister Muhammad Riyas, came a day after the Kerala High Court allowed the ED to continue its probe.
The Masapadi case revolves around allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), a private company, paid Rs 1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions, owned by Veena Vijayan, for services that were never rendered. The Income Tax Department had earlier detected irregularities worth Rs 132.82 crore at CMRL, including the payment to Exalogic. The ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and has been investigating whether the payment was made due to political influence. The High Court, while dismissing petitions seeking to quash the ED probe, observed that the investigation cannot be stopped based on who the accused are. Following the court’s order, the ED launched the extensive search operation, sparking political reactions with BJP leader Shone George claiming that Vijayan could face jail if the probe proceeds properly.
