SFI activist accused in ED convoy attack detained at Chennai airport

The police on Monday detained a member of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) at Chennai airport in connection with an alleged attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who had carried out a search at the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The accused, identified as Adarsh, a member of the SFI's Chala area committee, was taken into custody after he arrived from Dubai.

According to the police, Adarsh's role in the May 27 incident was established after they examined video footage of the attack. By that time, he had already left the country, and a lookout circular was issued against him. Upon his return on Monday, he was detained and a team from the Thiruvananthapuram Museum police station is expected to travel to Chennai to take his custody.

The incident occurred on May 27, when a team of ED officials visited Mr. Vijayan's rented residence in Thiruvananthapuram as part of a money-laundering investigation. The probe is focused on the financial dealings between Exalogic Solutions, a company formerly owned by the former Chief Minister's daughter, and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL), a sand mining firm.

The ED officials reportedly faced hostility as they left the premises. A mob allegedly attacked the vehicles carrying them, resulting in injuries to a driver, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer, and a member of the search team. The attack prompted a police case against around 300 activists from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and the SFI.

Several activists were arrested in the weeks that followed. Many of them spent months in judicial custody before the Kerala High Court recently granted bail to some of the accused. The court's decision came after considering the arguments that the accused had been held for a considerable period and that the investigation was largely complete.

The detention of Adarsh is the latest development in the case, which has drawn significant political attention in Kerala. The ED's investigation into Exalogic Solutions and CMRL is part of a broader probe into alleged irregularities in the mining sector. The agency has maintained that its officials were carrying out their duties when they were obstructed.

Meanwhile, the defence of the accused has contended that the ED's actions were high-handed and that the protestors were exercising their democratic right to assembly. However, the police have argued that the attack on officials was unlawful and that those involved must be prosecuted.

Legal experts note that the case raises questions about the safety of investigating agencies and the limits of protest. The courts will now examine the evidence against Adarsh and others as the trial proceeds. The police are expected to produce Adarsh before a magistrate in Thiruvananthapuram after his transfer from Chennai.