The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday carried out major raids at multiple locations in Keralam, including the residences of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) pay-off case. The searches were conducted at around 12 locations across the state, including properties linked to former minister and Kerala Tourism Minister P. A. Mohamed Riyas, and the residences of promoters of the mining company.
Officials, accompanied by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, cordoned off the premises during early morning operations in Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram, where Vijayan’s family members were present at the time of the raid. The case revolves around allegations that Exalogic, a now-defunct IT consultancy firm linked to Vijayan’s daughter T. Veena, received monthly retainers from CMRL between 2017 and 2021 without providing any substantial services.
The ED alleges that this arrangement may be part of a suspected political pay-off network involving financial irregularities. The Keralam High Court had recently permitted the ED to proceed with its investigation and dismissed petitions seeking to quash the case. The court also directed CMRL officials to cooperate with the probe, strengthening the agency’s case for a deeper money laundering investigation. However, Vijayan and his family have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
