2 days ago
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The Thiruvananthapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III connected Saturday rejected the bail plea of 5 Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] workers accused of attacking Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and damaging vehicles during a raid astatine erstwhile Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence successful the city.
Magistrate Tania Mariam Jose dismissed the bail petition filed by the accused, who were the archetypal 5 arrested successful transportation with the case.
The accused—Sreejith, Jithinraj, Manoj, Jeevan, and Shahin—were remanded successful custody aft their bail plea was rejected. The defence’s main contention was that the ED officials were not connected work erstwhile the incidental occurred. The defence besides argued that the conveyance that was attacked was not an authoritative ED conveyance and, therefore, the complaint of damaging nationalist spot would not stand.
However, the prosecution powerfully opposed the arguments. It contended that the ED officials had travel to behaviour a raid and remained connected work until they returned to their bureau aft completing the operation. Therefore, the complaint of obstructing nationalist servants successful the discharge of their duties was applicable. The prosecution further argued that adjacent if the conveyance had been hired connected rent, it should inactive beryllium treated arsenic an authoritative conveyance for the intent of the investigation. Accepting the prosecution’s arguments, the tribunal rejected the bail plea of the accused.
ED officials were allegedly attacked by CPI(M) activists portion returning aft completing a raid astatine the residence of Pinarayi Vijayan and his girl Veena Vijayan astatine Bakery Junction successful Thiruvananthapuram. The raid was conducted successful transportation with money-laundering allegations involving Ms. Veena’s now-defunct firm, Exalogic Solutions, which allegedly received monthly payments from a backstage mining company, Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited, betwixt 2017 and 2021 without providing immoderate tangible services.
Meanwhile, six much accused were arrested successful transportation with the battle connected ED officials, taking the full fig of arrests to 25 truthful far. Former Attukal councillor Unnikrishnan was among those arrested. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) to record the chargesheet earlier the court, earlier the accused are granted bail. The constabulary person registered a lawsuit against astir 300 radical who are suspected to person been progressive successful the attack.
