Attack on ED: Ex-DGP slams Kerala police, calls for investigation

Former DGP Jacob Thomas called the Kerala police's failure to protect ED officials 'ineffectiveness'. CPI(M) cadres attacked ED vehicles during a money laundering probe into Pinarayi Vijayan, with the party calling the raid a BJP-led conspiracy.

Former DGP Slams Police Inaction

Former Director General of Police (DGP) Jacob Thomas on Thursday termed the Keralam police's inability to provide timely security to Enforcement Directorate officials as a "failure or ineffectiveness" and called for an investigation into the incident.

"If police could not reach within five minutes and provide security to the ED officials who are performing their duty, it is definitely a failure or ineffectiveness of the police," Thomas told ANI. The violence took place when cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) damaged vehicles belonging to ED officials on Wednesday during protests outside the residence of Pinarayi Vijayan amid an ongoing money laundering probe. Party workers were seen surrounding the car and throwing bricks at the moving vehicle.

Thomas added that the lapse occurred either due to a police assessment that the CPI(M), which has been in power for the last 10 years, would behave responsibly, or because "all of a sudden violence broke out due to a conspiracy with instructions from the top person in the party."

"So that needs to be investigated," he stated.

CPI(M) Alleges BJP Conspiracy

On Thursday, Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary MV Govindan claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the residence of former Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) money laundering case were carried out without registering an FIR.

Addressing a press conference, Govindan said that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming to destroy Vijayan, who is at the centre of the Left movement. "We have no fear in criticising the BJP. It is the RSS leadership that controls the constitutional institutions in India. Amit Shah has said that Keralam is now their next target. The planned attack against the Left is part of that. The BJP's aim is to destroy Pinarayi Vijayan, who is the centre of the Left movement. The raid at Pinarayi's house was carried out without registering an FIR. The court had only directed that an investigation be conducted to determine whether an FIR should be filed. It was in the middle of that process that the ED came to Pinarayi's house with the raid," he said.

The statement comes as ED officials conducted searches at multiple premises linked to former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family across the State, in connection with the alleged CMRL money laundering case.

Protests in Chennai

Earlier, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders and workers held a protest in Chennai over the ED raids at Vijayan's house.

Speaking with ANI, CPI(M) Central Chennai District Secretary G Selva alleged an agenda against Communist parties. He accused the RSS and the BJP of allegedly using the autonomous agencies, such as the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), against opposition leaders.

Speaking with ANI, CPI(M) Central Chennai District Secretary G Selva alleged an agenda against Communist parties. He accused the RSS and the BJP of allegedly using the autonomous agencies, such as the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), against opposition leaders. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)