Eight people have been arrested so far in connection with the violent attack on vehicles carrying Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, who had conducted raids at the rented residence of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan a day earlier, State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala at his residence, Chandrasekhar said the investigation into the violence was progressing effectively and that more suspects had already been identified. The police chief said he discussed the issue of attacks on raid teams with the Home Minister, who directed officials to take strict action against those responsible. “Eight accused have been arrested and more individuals involved in the incident have been identified,” Chandrasekhar said.
He added that adequate police deployment had been arranged around locations linked to Vijayan after information about the ED operation emerged. According to Chandrasekhar, the police were not informed in advance about the raids. “They (the ED) did not give us prior information, but once the operation started, we immediately took steps and deployed security personnel,” he said.
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The Kerala Police have booked around 300 people in connection with the alleged assault on ED officials and accompanying security personnel. Cases have been registered under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to unlawful assembly, rioting, assault on public servants, wrongful restraint, and attempt to murder. Provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act have also been invoked.
Among the most serious charges is attempt to murder under Section 109 of the BNS, which provides for punishment of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, or life imprisonment if grievous injuries are caused. The First Information Report (FIR), registered at the Museum Police Station, alleged that members of the crowd attacked officers accompanying the ED team with sticks, injuring one official on the hand. The FIR further stated that stones and bricks were hurled at the convoy vehicles, seriously injuring the driver of one of the cars.
Security personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Kerala Police, who intervened to control the situation, were also allegedly assaulted, the report said. Several officers sustained injuries during the violence. Police officials said the attackers also vandalised official vehicles, causing estimated losses of nearly ₹3 lakh.
Authorities stated that many of the accused had already been identified, although further arrests were yet to be made as the investigation continued. The ED searches were reportedly linked to financial transactions involving a company owned by Vijayan’s daughter and a sand mining firm. As part of its probe into the alleged CMRL money laundering case involving Veena T, the ED on Wednesday carried out raids at 10 locations across Kerala, including Vijayan’s rented residence at Bakery Junction and his permanent home in Kannur.
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