ED Conducts Raids on Former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Residences Over CMRL Pay-Off Allegations.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials conducted extensive raids on the residences of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur on May 27, 2026, marking a significant escalation in an ongoing investigation. The inquiry centers around allegations of financial impropriety tied to his daughter, T. Veena, and her now-defunct IT firm, Exalogic, which reportedly received large monthly retainers from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) from 2017 to 2021 without delivering any substantial services.

The raids, which took place at 12 locations across Kerala, also targeted other key figures, including the former Tourism and Public Works Minister and Ms. Veena’s husband, Mohamed Riyas, in Kozhikode. Promoters of the mining company were also part of the search, reflecting the widening scope of the inquiry. ED officials were supported by armed Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel as they executed the search warrants, with a particularly heavy police presence at Mr. Vijayan’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram.

The timing and scale of the operation have stirred political tensions in Kerala, with Kumar Vijayan’s party expressing concerns over what they perceive as politically motivated harassment. The raids come against a backdrop of rising scrutiny over the financial dealings of public figures in the state, underscoring the balancing act between law enforcement and political stability in Kerala.