Kerala HC Grants Bail to Six More Accused in ED Attack Case
The High Court granted bail saying that according to the prosecution the investigation was almost over, the accused had no criminal antecedents involving serious offences
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday granted bail to six more people accused of attacking ED officials following a search at former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's residence in Thiruvananthapuram in May this year.
The High Court granted bail to Revanth, R Unnikrishnan, Unni D S, I P Binu, Dineeth B Nair and Dinakar in the case, saying that according to the prosecution the investigation was almost over, the accused had no criminal antecedents involving serious offences and the victims had not sustained any serious injuries.
At the same time, Justice Kauser Edappagath observed that a perusal of the case diary showed the allegations against the four were very serious and that they (prima facie) indicated a premeditated criminal act on their part.
The HC had earlier this week granted bail to 17 other accused in the case and one of the accused was given the relief by the trial court.
With the six getting bail, 24 accused have so far got the relief in the case in which around 300 identifiable persons were booked by the police.
According to the ED, many of them are yet to be identified or are absconding.
The court granted bail to the six subject to each of them executing a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two solvent sureties for the like amount.
It imposed several conditions, including that they fully cooperate with the investigation, appear before the investigating officer between 10 am and 11 am every Saturday and whenever required, refrain from entering the jurisdiction of the Cantonment Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram, and deposit Rs 10,000 each before the jurisdictional magistrate court.
It directed them not to commit any similar offence while on bail, not to contact, influence or intimidate prosecution witnesses in any manner, and not to leave the state without the permission of the trial court.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had opposed the bail pleas, claiming that the May 27 attack on its officials could not be viewed as an ordinary law-and-order incident or a spontaneous public protest, as it occurred after search proceedings that lasted several hours.
The ED search was linked to financial dealings between Vijayan's daughter's firm and sand mining company Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd.
Investigating agencies have alleged that Vijayan's daughter, T Veena, and her firm, Exalogic Solutions, received payments from CMRL between 2017 and 2020 for IT and consultancy services that were allegedly never provided.
Veena and CMRL have denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the payments were part of a legitimate commercial arrangement.
According to the ED, as its officials were leaving after the search, a mob attacked the vehicles carrying them, allegedly injuring one of the drivers, a CRPF officer and a member of the search team.
In an affidavit filed through advocate Jaishankar V Nair opposing the bail pleas, the ED alleged that the accusations disclosed "a coordinated and organised assault on the officers of a central investigating agency who had lawfully conducted search proceedings pursuant to statutory powers vested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act."
The agency alleged that it was a "violent, pre-planned, politically coordinated attack" in which dangerous weapons were used.
