Kochi, Aug 4 The Kerala High Court on Tuesday granted bail to four more persons accused of attacking ED officials following a search at former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's residence in May this year.
The High Court had on Monday granted bail to nine other accused in the case, observing that they had no criminal antecedents involving serious offences and that the victims had not sustained any serious injuries.
Citing the same reasons, Justice Kauser Edappagath extended the relief to the four accused.
The court, however, 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.
It directed that the accused be released on bail on each executing a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two solvent sureties for the like amount.
The court 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.
Opposing the bail pleas, the Enforcement Directorate had contended 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 Enforcement Directorate 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.
