Shashi Tharoor rejects CPM allegation linking Cong to ED raids on Vijayan

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday rejected allegations made by CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas that the Congress leadership had encouraged the Enforcement Directorate to act against former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) case.

In a statement posted on X, Tharoor said, “John, there is absolutely no evidence in support of your last sentence. The Congress government has begun its governance in a spirit of conciliation, with the outgoing CM given a place of honour at the swearing-in. The new CM (VD Satheesan) visited Pinarayi Vijayan’s home and paid his personal respects. Do you think he would connive at something like this? And from what you have seen of the Union government, do you really think they take their lead from any opposition party, in or out of the state government?”

The exchange followed criticism by Brittas over ED raids conducted at several locations linked to Vijayan, Indian Express reported.

Brittas described the searches as a blatant misuse of central investigative agencies and accused the BJP-led Union government of targeting political opponents through such actions.

In his statement, Brittas said that Vijayan and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) would not be intimidated by what he termed undemocratic tactics. He asserted that the CPI(M) would continue resisting with public support in defence of democracy.

Brittas also alleged that the Congress leadership had actively encouraged the ED to target Vijayan, similar to what he claimed had happened in the case of Arvind Kejriwal.

The ED recently carried out searches at 10 locations across Kerala and Bengaluru as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged illegal payments made by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited to Exalogic Solutions, an IT company owned by Vijayan’s daughter, Veena T.