Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 29 (PTI) The ED on Monday told a court here that the attack on its officers after they carried out a search at the residence of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with a money laundering case involving his daughter was the result of a conspiracy engineered by the top leadership of the CPI(M).

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) made the allegation in an objection filed before the Thiruvananthapuram District and Sessions Court opposing the bail plea of the 12th accused, Lenin Raj.

Last month, an ED team conducted a search at the rented house where Vijayan was staying in Thiruvananthapuram as part of a money laundering probe involving his daughter, Veena T.

While the ED officials and security personnel were returning after the search, CPI(M) activists allegedly blocked their vehicles and damaged them.

A case was registered against around 300 people, and several CPI(M) activists were arrested.

The controversy intensified after the ninth accused, Harish Kumar, was granted bail by a district court.

The police claimed they had submitted a report citing 13 grounds for opposing the bail application, but alleged that the then public prosecutor did not place their objections before the court.

The ED later moved the court, seeking to implead itself in the case, and also approached the Kerala High Court, challenging the bail granted to Kumar.

In its objection petition, the ED alleged that the attack on its officers was the outcome of a criminal conspiracy involving the CPI(M)'s top leadership.

"It is respectfully submitted that the element of a deep-rooted criminal conspiracy engineered by the top-tier leadership of the CPI(M) party was explicitly discernible from the facts and surrounding circumstances of this case. The unlawful protest and subsequent violent assault occurred in the active presence of prominent party leaders, including the state secretary, the district secretary and other high-ranking local leaders of the CPI(M)," the ED said.

The agency further alleged that the "highly provocative language" and "aggressive rhetoric" used by the senior leaders during the protest served as a tactical signal to their supporters, intentionally instigating them to escalate the demonstration into physical violence.

According to the ED, the violent confrontation constituted a direct threat to the rule of law rather than a localised law-and-order issue.

Meanwhile, Special Public Prosecutor A Santhosh Kumar appeared for the police and sought an adjournment in the matter.

District and Sessions Judge Nazeera S adjourned the hearing on the bail plea to July 3. PTI TBA TBA ROH

Criminal conspiracy allegations arise from an attack on ED officers during a search operation and related bail opposition. The Enforcement Directorate alleged that the attack on its officers and damage to vehicles after a search at a former Chief Minister's residence formed part of a criminal conspiracy linked to the top leadership of the CPI(M). It said the unlawful protest and violent assault occurred in the presence of senior party leaders, whose provocative language allegedly instigated supporters to escalate the demonstration into physical violence. The agency treated the episode as interference with the rule of law and filed its objection in opposition to a bail plea in the case arising from the incident.