ED approaches Kerala HC to quash judicial probe against its officials

The Enforcement Directorate approached the Kerala High Court on Thursday, seeking the court's intervention to cancel the judicial probe ordered by Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan against ED officials who allegedly pressurised two accused in the gold smuggling case to confess against Vijayan.

The ED alleged that Vijayan had violated his official position by ordering a probe and that the Kerala government has no right to do so. Though the probe was ordered to the end of Pinarayi Vijayan's first term, the orders appointing Justice (retd) VK Mohan was passed after Vijayan procured a second term in the assembly elections this year.

The judicial probe was announced after two women police officials who provided security to Swapna Suresh when in judicial custody complained that they had heard the ED pressurising her to name Vijayan. Vijayan registered a case through the Crime Branch and announced a judicial probe, much to the disgruntlement of Union Ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The BJP has termed the manner in which Vijayan set up a commission an attack on the federal structure.

However, in April, the Kerala High Court had quashed two FIRs registered by the Crime Branch against ED officials in the same case.