Court Rejects Bail Pleas of Seven Accused in Attack on Enforcement Directorate Team
A Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram has rejected the bail applications of seven accused arrested in connection with the alleged attack on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team during searches conducted at the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as part of the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) money laundering investigation. The court held that the gravity of the allegations and the ongoing investigation did not justify granting bail at this stage.
The incident occurred on May 27, 2026, when ED officials, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and the Kerala Police, were returning after carrying out search operations linked to the alleged financial transactions involving Exalogic Solutions, a company associated with Vijayan’s daughter, Veena T. According to the prosecution, a large crowd allegedly surrounded the officials, damaged official vehicles, pelted stones and other objects, and assaulted ED personnel and police officers.
Opposing the bail applications, the prosecution argued that the attack appeared to be a pre-planned attempt to obstruct central investigative agencies from discharging their lawful duties. It submitted that the investigation was still in progress, that digital and forensic evidence was being analysed, and that releasing the accused at this stage could adversely affect the probe and influence witnesses. The prosecution also pointed to the serious nature of the offences invoked, including allegations of unlawful assembly, rioting, assault on public servants, attempt to murder, and destruction of public property.
After considering the submissions and examining the materials placed before it, the Sessions Court concluded that the allegations disclosed a serious attack on public officials performing official functions. The court observed that the investigation was yet to be completed and that custodial concerns continued to exist, making the case unsuitable for the grant of bail at this stage. Accordingly, the applications filed by the seven accused were dismissed.
The case has attracted considerable political attention in Kerala because the ED searches formed part of the money laundering investigation concerning alleged payments made by CMRL to Exalogic Solutions. Police have registered cases against around 300 persons in connection with the alleged attack, and several accused have already been arrested. Earlier this month, the same Sessions Court had rejected the bail pleas of 15 other accused in the case, while one accused had secured bail under separate circumstances, leading to changes in the State’s prosecution team.
With the latest order, the seven accused will continue to remain in judicial custody while the investigation proceeds. The prosecution is expected to rely on digital evidence, CCTV footage, photographs, videos, and witness statements to establish the alleged conspiracy and the individual roles of those accused of participating in the attack on the ED officials.
