Chennai: MK Stalin on Tuesday strongly condemned the Enforcement Directorate raids on former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging that central agencies were increasingly being “weaponised” against Opposition leaders.
In a post on X, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief said the raids raised serious concerns over the misuse of investigative agencies for political purposes.
“Strongly condemn the Enforcement Directorate raids directed against former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Such actions once again raise serious concerns over the growing pattern of central agencies being weaponised against Opposition leaders,” Stalin wrote.
He also claimed the raids exposed the “hollowness” of allegations made by some Congress leaders questioning why Vijayan had allegedly not been targeted earlier by the BJP-led Centre.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at 10 locations across Kerala, including the residences of Pinarayi Vijayan, in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) case.
Officials said the raids began early Wednesday and were carried out based on specific inputs linked to controversial financial transactions associated with the CMRL case, which had stirred political controversy in Kerala during Vijayan’s tenure as Chief Minister.
The ED action came a day after the Kerala High Court refused to quash the agency’s investigation into the CMRL case.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) also criticised the raids, describing them as another example of central agencies being used for political vendetta against Opposition leaders.
In a strongly worded statement on X, the party accused the BJP-led Union government of using agencies such as the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department to intimidate political rivals and suppress dissent.
“The ED raid on the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) Politburo member Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan is yet another stark example of how central agencies are being weaponised for political vendetta,” the party said.
It further alleged that leaders opposing the BJP and Sangh Parivar politics were being selectively targeted through investigations, media trials and raids.
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