Attack on ED officials: Kerala HC seeks details of action taken

Kochi: High court on Thursday sought details from state govt regarding the action taken in the cases registered over the alleged attack on ED officials and their vehicles by CPM workers on May 27, following a raid at the residence of former CM Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the CMRL case.

A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V M Syam Kumar was considering a PIL filed by Jojo Jose, a practising lawyer from Sreekandapuram in Kannur, seeking a CBI probe into the alleged attack. The court adjourned the petition to July 3 and directed the govt pleader to file a statement detailing the action taken by police in the registered cases. Additional solicitor general P Sreekumar, appearing for the central govt, also sought time to obtain instructions in the matter.

According to the petitioner, ED officials and their vehicles were attacked on the premises of former CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram by a mob of around 300 identifiable persons, most of whom were allegedly CPM cadres. Jose further alleged that Kerala Police failed to provide adequate protection to the ED officials and that their subsequent conduct reflected “a shocking level of collusion and political subservience”. The petition further alleged that, instead of arresting the accused, senior police officers negotiated with prominent CPM leaders who had formed a human shield around those who had taken refuge inside a party office.

The PIL also sought a direction to the police to preserve regional television footage, CCTV recordings from the CPM’s Palayam area committee office, and mobile tower logs from the area, and to place the material in the custody of the court or a designated central investigating agency.