20 CPM workers booked over protest outside Pinarayi Vijayan’s house in Kannur during ED raids

Kannur: Twenty unnamed CPM and DYFI workers were booked for protesting outside Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan’s house at Pandyala Mukku in Kannur during the raids conducted by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Wednesday, linked to the Exalogic-CMRL case.

The case was registered suo motu by the Pinarayi Police the next day. The FIR alleged that the protesters unlawfully assembled, obstructed vehicular traffic and pedestrians, and raised provocative slogans against the ED searches. Though the protest was led by CPM state committee member P Jayarajan and CPM district secretary K K Ragesh, the FIR does not name any person but lists the accused as 1 to 20 'identifiable persons'.

The police action comes despite the protest outside Vijayan’s residence in Kannur remaining largely peaceful, unlike the violence reported outside his rented residence at Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram, where vehicles carrying ED officials and CRPF personnel were attacked.

On Wednesday, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had specifically said no untoward incidents were reported during the raids at Vijayan’s Kannur residence or at the Kozhikode residence of MLA P A Mohamed Riyas, husband of Vijayan's daughter Veena Vijayan. The home minister, however, alleged that the attack in Thiruvananthapuram was a “planned attempt to destabilise public order”. The Museum Police of Thiruvananthapuram had booked 300 CPM workers and arrested eight for the attack in Thiruvananthapuram. They have been charged with various offences, including attempt to murder.

In Kannur, the police said around 7.30 am on May 27, CPM and DYFI workers “unlawfully assembled with the intention and preparation to commit an offence, obstructed vehicular traffic, caused obstruction to passersby, and raised provocative slogans” in front of Vijayan’s house while the ED searches were underway. Police said the protesters continued at the spot despite being directed to disperse.

There were four officers, led by Pinarayi Police Sub Inspector Akhil K T and SI Praveendran, on law and order duty. They called in additional personnel. The crowd was dispersed at 3.30 pm, police said.

The FIR was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for unlawful assembly [Sections 189(2) and 189(3)], obstructing public way (Section 285) and common intention (Section 190).

Police said the delay in registering the FIR was due to technical issues with the Integrated Core Policing System.

The ED raids covered 10 locations linked to the alleged payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) to Exalogic Solutions, formerly owned by Veena Vijayan.