‘Central agencies weaponised’: Stalin, Kejriwal, Tejashwi rally behind Pinarayi after ED raids

Thiruvananthapuram: Leaders of several Opposition parties across the country on Wednesday rallied behind former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan following Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids linked to the alleged CMRL-Exalogic financial transactions case, accusing the BJP-led Centre of misusing central agencies to target political opponents.

Among those who strongly criticised the ED action were M K Stalin, Arvind Kejriwal, Tejashwi Yadav and D Raja.

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin said the raids raised “serious concerns” over what he described as the growing weaponisation of central agencies against Opposition leaders.

“Strongly condemning the Enforcement Directorate raids directed against former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram today,” Stalin said in a post on X.

He also took a swipe at Congress leaders who had earlier questioned why Vijayan had “not yet been targeted by the BJP”.

“Incidentally, this also exposes the hollowness of the reckless allegations made by some Congress leaders,” Stalin added.

AAP national convenor and former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal termed the searches “another blatant misuse” of central agencies by the BJP to weaken regional Opposition parties and undermine democracy.

“The ED’s immediate raid after Congress started complaining about ‘inaction’ raises questions on the BJP-Congress relationship,” he said on X.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the raids were driven by “political malice and revenge” and accused the BJP government of using investigative agencies to eliminate regional parties.

“Remember, in the end, truth and justice will prevail,” he said in a post on social media.

CPI general secretary D Raja described the searches as “a clear act of political vendetta” and alleged that the BJP-led Union government was brazenly misusing central agencies to intimidate the Left and undermine federal principles.

“The repeated weaponisation of agencies like the ED against opposition-ruled states and dissenting political voices poses a serious threat to democracy and federalism,” he said.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also issued a strongly worded statement alleging that the raids were part of a “larger politics of vendetta” against Vijayan and the Left movement.

The party alleged that the Congress had effectively aided the BJP in targeting Vijayan by repeatedly raising questions over why no action had been taken against him earlier.

The CPM further claimed that the ED raids should be viewed in the backdrop of recent meetings between Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

The ED searches began early Wednesday morning at around 12 locations linked to the case, including Vijayan’s residences in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, the Kochi office of Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd, properties linked to company officials, and the Bengaluru office of Exalogic Consulting, owned by Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan.

Veena Vijayan, who is the third accused in the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) chargesheet, was reportedly questioned for around nine hours at her father’s rented residence in Thiruvananthapuram.

The searches are linked to allegations that Exalogic Consulting received ₹1.72 crore from CMRL between 2017 and 2020 for software-related services despite there being no evidence that services were rendered.

The ED action came a day after the Kerala High Court allowed the agency to continue its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). BJP state vice-president Shaun George, who filed the complaint before the ED, alleged that multiple cases had been filed in various high courts to stall the probe.