CPI(M) leader accuses ED of political bias in targeting Opposition

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] Keralam State secretary M.V. Govindan on Sunday alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been taking up cases with political motive and bias to target leaders of Opposition parties in the country. He was speaking at a public meeting titled 'The politics of ED' organised in Kozhikode to explain the party's position on the recent ED searches at the premises of friends and acquaintances of Beypore MLA P.A. Mohamed Riyas.

The searches were part of an investigation into alleged financial transactions between Exalogic Solutions Private Ltd., owned by Mr. Riyas's wife T. Veena, who is the daughter of Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd. in an alleged pay-off case. Mr. Govindan claimed that in the past 12 years, after the BJP came to power at the Centre, the ED had been registering cases not based on facts but for political reasons.

“They first set a political target and then start the investigation to find evidence. Almost 95% of the accused in cases filed by the ED belong to Opposition parties,” he said. To support his claim, he cited the examples of senior journalist Prabir Purkayastha, founder of Newsclick, and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who he said were initially implicated by the agency and later acquitted by courts citing lack of evidence.

Mr. Govindan also claimed that financial misappropriation charges against BJP leaders were not being pursued. He said the ED was not interested in investigating the Kodakara highway heist case and the charges of misappropriation of election funds, which involved BJP functionaries. He further alleged that some leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and West Bengal leader Suvendu Adhikari, who were initially with the Congress and the All-India Trinamool Congress respectively, shifted their loyalty to the BJP when faced with ED cases. Subsequently, the cases also vanished, he said.

The CPI(M) leader claimed that the ED had registered around 5,900 cases in the past 12 years and conducted 7,450 raids across the country. However, chargesheets were filed in only 9% of them, and the number of convictions was only 25. “The agency is trying to create a smokescreen around our leaders to tarnish their reputation among the people. Strange press releases with baseless claims are being issued on a regular basis. A section of the news media is going to town about it also,” he said.

Referring to the specific case involving Ms. Veena, Mr. Govindan alleged that the ED was deliberately attempting to extend the case to Mr. Vijayan, Mr. Riyas, and CPI(M) leader P. Nikhil. “They are now targeting Mr. Riyas's friends because the searches conducted at Mr. Vijayan's residences and Mr. Riyas's house earlier this year did not yield any evidence. We will fight it politically and legally,” he said. The ED has not yet responded to these allegations.

M. Mehboob, CPI(M) Kozhikode district secretary, and senior party leaders such as P. Mohanan were present at the meeting.