ED pastes summons at Pinarayi Vijayan’s Thiruvananthapuram residence

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday pasted a summons at the Thiruvananthapuram residence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, directing him to appear before the agency on October 23 in connection with alleged corruption in the CMRL-Exalogic monthly payment case.

The action comes amid a legal battle over the case, with Vijayan approaching the Supreme Court seeking interim protection against the proceedings. The ED’s move has triggered a political controversy, with the CPI(M) alleging that the agency is politically targeting the senior leader.

According to CPI(M) State Secretariat member V. Sivankutty, ED officials visited Vijayan’s rented residence near Bakery Junction in the morning but did not serve the summons in person. They returned later and made a third visit with state police personnel, pasting the notice at the premises after a member of the household staff declined to act as a witness to the procedure, Sivankutty said.

Vijayan is currently in Kannur attending a party meeting. Sivankutty questioned the need to paste the summons at the residence, arguing that the ED could have served it directly to Vijayan in Kannur.

“This is the latest example of political persecution,” Sivankutty said, describing the action as unjustified and undemocratic. He also questioned the agency’s decision to proceed while the matter was pending before the Supreme Court.

The ED, however, maintains that the action followed standard procedure. The agency had also sent the summons by email, but reportedly no acknowledgement of receipt was received, prompting officials to paste the notice at the residence.

In an FIR registered by the Kerala Police under the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic payoff case—following a High Court Single Bench order based on a letter from the ED—Vijayan is named as the prime accused and his daughter, Veena, as the second accused.

Vijayan has challenged before the Supreme Court the Kerala High Court Single Bench’s direction to register an FIR based on information supplied to the Kerala Police by the ED. The Supreme Court has not granted interim relief so far, and the matter remains pending. On October 14, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court refused to grant an interim stay on a Single Bench order.

Sivankutty, who visited Vijayan’s residence after the ED’s action, argued that the agency should await the Supreme Court’s decision before proceeding further. CPI(M) sources indicated that Vijayan is unlikely to appear before the ED on October 23, citing the ongoing Assembly session and other engagements.

The case has become a flashpoint between the CPI(M) and the BJP-led Union government, with the former alleging the misuse of central investigative agencies for political ends.

In May, ED officials faced an attack from CPI(M) and DYFI workers when they raided Vijayan’s Thiruvananthapuram residence and seized various items, including handwritten notes belonging to his daughter, Veena.