Kerala Court Defers Bail Pleas of Nine Accused in ED Officials Attack Case
A Kerala court on Monday deferred the hearing on the bail applications of nine persons arrested in connection with the alleged attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during a high-profile search operation in Thiruvananthapuram. The Enforcement Directorate opposed the pleas, arguing that the investigation is at a crucial stage and that releasing the accused could adversely affect the probe.
The case stems from violence that erupted after ED officials conducted searches linked to the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) money laundering investigation involving Veena T., daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. According to investigators, ED personnel and accompanying security staff were allegedly attacked by a large group of protesters while returning from the search operation, resulting in injuries and damage to official vehicles.
During the latest hearing, the prosecution submitted that substantial digital, forensic and witness evidence has already been collected, but several aspects of the investigation remain incomplete. It argued that granting bail at this stage could hamper efforts to identify additional accused and complete the investigation into what it describes as a coordinated assault on central agency officials.
The case has become one of Kerala’s most politically sensitive criminal investigations, with police alleging that nearly 300 persons participated in the unlawful assembly. Multiple arrests have been made, and the accused face serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including rioting, obstructing public servants, causing injuries, and offences under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Earlier, different courts had rejected bail applications of several other accused, observing that the alleged assault on officials performing statutory duties was a grave offence with wider implications for public order and the rule of law. In one order, the court remarked that the attack could not be viewed as a spontaneous protest and described it as an offence affecting the State and its institutions.
With the latest adjournment, the nine accused will remain in judicial custody until the court resumes consideration of their bail applications. The investigation continues as authorities examine additional electronic evidence, video footage and witness statements to determine the role of each accused in the alleged attack on the ED team.
