New Delhi | CPI(M) leaders were detained on Wednesday during a protest led by party general secretary M A Baby outside the ED headquarters in Delhi against searches conducted at the residence of former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Left party said.
The CPI(M) alleged that the police used force against protesters and detained several senior leaders during the demonstration at the ED office.
In a post on X, the party said a peaceful protest, led by Baby against what it described as a "targeted attack" on Vijayan, was stopped by Delhi Police.
"A peaceful protest led by CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby to the ED Headquarters in New Delhi against the targeted attack on Polit Bureau member and Opposition leader of Keralam Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan was stopped by the Delhi Police. CPI(M) leaders and workers were brutally beaten by the police and taken away," the party said.
In a statement, the CPI(M) said those detained included senior leader Brinda Karat, Politburo members Ashok Dhawale, Mariam Dhawale and Vijoo Krishnan, central committee member Vikram Singh and Delhi state secretary Anurag Saxena. More than 100 other protesters were also detained, it said.
Addressing the gathering, Baby condemned the ED action and alleged that the searches at Vijayan's residence were politically motivated.
According to the party statement, Baby said courts had repeatedly observed that Vijayan had "absolutely no connection" with the Exalogic case, but the political "witch-hunt" against him continued.
"He is now being targeted even for being Veena's father," Baby said.
He further alleged that the action, coming immediately after Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, raised serious questions and appeared politically orchestrated.
"Several individuals whose names reportedly appeared in the CMRL diary continue to hold important positions in the state government. However, while ignoring all of them, the continuous targeting of Pinarayi Vijayan further exposes the political vendetta behind these actions," Baby said.
The CPI(M) maintained that it did not seek to obstruct any investigation.
"However, the blatant misuse of central agencies by the central government for political targeting cannot be accepted. The party will mobilise people and organise strong protests across the country against the selective targeting of opposition leaders and the attacks on democratic rights," he said.
Brinda Karat, who was among those detained, accused the BJP of using agencies such as the ED to "intimidate, bully, and humiliate" opposition leaders.
"Are there any procedures left? Is there any such thing as an FIR? Is there any such thing as a complaint? Is there any such thing as a preliminary investigation? Instead of that, you have the ED everywhere Pinarayi's residences are. This is absolutely a shameful, shameful display," she said.
Karat also targeted the Congress, alleging that its leaders in Kerala had encouraged action against Vijayan.
"It is the Congress government in Kerala, it is the Congress party and its leaders, its MLAs, who, in collaboration with the BJP, have filed these bogus complaints and encouraged the BJP government to use the ED against a leader of the stature of Pinarayi Vijayan," she said, adding that the people of Kerala would give a "befitting reply".
Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja also backed Vijayan and criticised the searches.
In a post on X, Raja described the raids as "a clear act of political vendetta and yet another example of the BJP-led Union government's brazen misuse of central investigative agencies".
"Such actions are aimed at intimidating the Left, targeting political opponents, and undermining the federal principles," he said.
Raja further alleged that the "repeated weaponisation of agencies like the ED against opposition-ruled states and dissenting political voices poses a serious threat to democracy and federalism".
"All democratic, secular, and federal forces must come together against these authoritarian attempts to silence and intimidate political opposition," he said.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted searches at the residence of Vijayan and several other locations in Kerala as part of its money laundering probe linked to his daughter T Veena in the CMRL case, officials said.
Officials said searches were carried out at 10 premises under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including Vijayan's rented residence in Thiruvananthapuram, a location in Kannur and premises linked to key persons associated with Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL).
They said Vijayan's residence was searched as the probe involved his daughter.
