The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Wednesday searched 12 premises, including those of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who was swept out of power three weeks ago, as part of its probe into alleged illegal payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL), a Kochi-based chemicals and mineral processing company, to his daughter Veena T’s IT firm Exalogic Solutions.

ED sources said the premises searched included Vijayan’s rented house in Thiruvananthapuram, his own house at Pinarayi in Kannur, the Kozhikode house of Veena’s husband P A Muhammad Riyas, the Bengaluru premises of Exalogic Solutions, the CMRL headquarters in Kochi, the houses of CMRL MD S N Sasidharan Kartha and other senior executives of the firm, and that of Nipuna International Private Limited in Kochi which is linked to Kartha’s family.

The ED searched these premises a day after the Kerala High Court rejected CMRL’s petition seeking to quash the ED proceedings.

In Thiruvananthapuram, CPI(M) workers vandalized the vehicles of ED officials when they emerged from Vijayan’s house after the search. CRPF men and police had a difficult time rescuing the ED officials. The searches sparked protests by the CPI(M) across Kerala. At sit-ins outside the houses of Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, CPI(M) workers raised slogans against the ED and the BJP.

Vijayan later told party workers that the CPI(M) or he could not be weakened by the BJP’s “political hunt” using Central agencies. He also had a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks earlier.

“ED officials have come to the house following instructions from the higher-ups. The raid may have satisfied leaders like Rahul Gandhi who had raised the question why the ED was not arresting me. The BJP government at the Centre is carrying out pre-planned actions against the workers of Opposition parties across the country. Strong protests have emerged from across the country against these actions. No one should be under the illusion that such actions can weaken (me). At every stage when the party’s enemies attacked (me), comrades and the people of the state have wholeheartedly supported (me),’’ Vijayan said.

Party general secretary M A Baby, in a statement, said, “The CPI(M) denounces the ED raid on Vijayan’s residence. This is a targeted attack on a top Opposition leader by the BJP government. Such actions will not intimidate Vijayan or the CPI(M). Is the UDF government in Kerala complicit in this raid?”

State Home Minister and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told the media that the state police were not aware of the ED raid in Kerala. “They (ED) have not sought police support. The state Home Secretary and the police chief have told me that they were not informed about the raid. If they had informed the police in advance, we could have provided adequate security to them,’’ he said.

Referring to the CPI(M) allegation that the Congress had joined hands with the BJP in targeting Left leaders, Chennithala said, “CPI(M) has to explain what happened to their earlier deal with the BJP and how that affair came apart. Chief Minister V D Satheesan has gone to Delhi in connection with administrative matters. His meeting with the Prime Minister cannot be linked to the raid,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) attack on ED officials turned into a law and order issue in Thiruvananthapuram in the evening. The alleged assailants sought shelter in an area committee office of the CPI(M) and senior leaders stood guard against any police action. The party leaders did not let police enter the office despite the presence of senior officers. CPI(M) leaders were said to have later produced four persons before the police.

Thiruvananthapuram City DCP Taposh Basumatary said a case of attempt to murder was registered in connection with the attack on the ED officials. Four persons, he said, had been taken into custody and police had identified 12 people involved in the incident.

Referring to the attack on ED officials, state BJP president and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, “The CPM leadership is deeply worried about the investigation that has restarted after the HC lifted its stay. Instead of violence and drama, CPM and Pinarayi Vijayan should answer why Veena Vijayan’s Exalogic company received money? For what purpose? Congress and V D Satheesan should make clear their stand on political corruption.”

The alleged payment case involving Vijayan’s daughter surfaced in 2023 when he was the Chief Minister, following an Income-Tax search of the CMRL premises.

According to the I-T department, the CMRL allegedly paid Exalogic Solutions about Rs 1.72 crore between 2017-18 and 2018-19 under agreements for software development, management and consultancy services. The Interim Board of Settlement of the I-T department allegedly found that Exalogic Solutions did not provide any service for the payment, and called the financial transaction illegal. Subsequently, the ED launched a money-laundering probe and questioned CMRL officials.

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) also examined wider CMRL financial transactions. It was found that the CMRL had allegedly made huge payments to several politicians, mentioned as abbreviations in documents seized by I-T officials. The beneficiaries allegedly included politicians from different parties.