Setback for Kerala CM HC quashes FIRs against ED

Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday suffered a setback after the Kerala High Court quashed the two FIRs registered against Enforcement Directorate officials by the Crime Branch unit of Kerala police in the gold smuggling case.

It was in last month when Vijayan gave the nod to the Crime Branch unit to register cases against ED officials based on a complaint by two women police officials that they were allegedly being pressurised to testify that the gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh was coerced into giving statements implicating Vijayan in the case.

According to the two women police officials, who were providing security to Swapna Suresh, when under judicial custody, that they had heard of the ED pressurising her to name Vijayan.

On Friday Justice VG Arun ruled that the Crime Branch had not followed the rule of law and hence the two FIRs have to be quashed and the authorities can take the case up with the concerned court - Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that at least now both the CPI-M and Vijayan should stop such acts. Senior Congress legislator VD Sateeshan said Vijayan is a master when it comes to gimmicks and playing to the gallery.

"All this went ahead because it was Assembly election time and Vijayan wanted to portray a false image that he is one who will take on anything and to gain the confidence of the people, especially when he was leading the Left front in the election. This is similar to the fight that takes place in the circus ring, when everyone knows it's a fake one," said Sateeshan. Union Ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman among others had slammed such move by the Kerala government.