Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary M V Govindan on Wednesday accused the Centre of attempting to tarnish the party's image with the assistance of the state government and the Directorate of Enforcement(ED).

Govindan alleged that the ED was deliberately trying to draw attention to former Kerala minister P A Mohammed Riyas in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic case and was questioning even those who were merely acquainted with him.

“This is an attempt by the Central government, with the assistance of the state government, to tarnish the CPM's image with the help of the ED. The ED is trying desperately to direct attention towards Mohammed Riyas. Even people who are mere acquaintances of Mohammed Riyas were investigated yesterday,” Govindan said.

“We strongly condemn this. They are creating a smokescreen to create anti-CPM sentiments,” he added.

Govindan also alleged that the ED was targeting CPM workers and leaders while failing to act against the BJP and Sangh Parivar despite what he described as large-scale corruption.

The remarks came a day after the ED conducted searches at eight locations in and around Kozhikode as part of its investigation into the CMRL-Exalogic case. The searches targeted properties linked to people associated with Riyas, including CPM district secretariat member P Nikhil and his close associate N Nandulal.

An ED team searched Nandulal's residence at East Hill in Kozhikode. Nandulal, a Destination Coordinator with the Kozhikode District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), is reportedly a close associate of Riyas and also serves as the DYFI East Hill area secretary.

The agency also searched properties linked to Nikhil, including his ancestral house at Karuvanthuruthy in Feroke and a flat in Ashokapuram. Nikhil, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital, was brought to the flat before the search.

The ED also searched Laker India Corp, a Kozhikode-based company in which Riyas's wife T Veena, the sixth accused in the case, has an investment. The agency had earlier frozen investments worth ₹16.5 lakh held in Veena's name in connection with the case.

The latest searches are reportedly based on information recovered from a diary seized during an ED search at Veena's rented residence in Thiruvananthapuram on May 27. According to documents recovered during the search, Veena's account had a balance of ₹1,37,088, while Exalogic's account had ₹27,585 and Laker India Corp's account had ₹15,57,414.

The CMRL-Exalogic case originated from a Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) probe, which alleged that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) had recorded nearly ₹182 crore as fictitious expenditure over 15 years. Investigators suspect that the money was diverted to various individuals and entities through questionable transactions.

The Kerala High Court had allowed the ED to proceed with its investigation, following which a special court transferred financial transaction records collected by the SFIO to the central agency. The ED is pursuing the probe based on the SFIO report, the records handed over by the court and other evidence gathered during the investigation.