Kerala BJP accuses Congress of shielding Pinarayi Vijayan in ED hawala case
Synopsis
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar has levelled a pointed accusation: the Congress-led state government waited four days after a High Court order before registering an FIR against ex-CM Pinarayi Vijayan in an ED hawala probe — long enough, he alleges, for Vijayan to file a court appeal within half an hour of the FIR's registration. The charge puts both Congress and CPI-M in the BJP's crosshairs ahead of a politically charged period in Kerala.
Key Takeaways
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar accused Congress of deliberately delaying legal action against former CM Pinarayi Vijayan in an ED hawala investigation.
The state government registered an FIR four days after the Kerala High Court ordered action — a delay the BJP called intentional.
Vijayan filed a High Court appeal within half an hour of the FIR being registered, which the BJP said was enabled by the delay.
The ED had directed Kerala Police Chief Ravada Azad Chandrasekhar to register a case last month.
17 days after the SIT 's formation, the BJP says there is still no clarity on what the team has done, noting the law allows only 14 days for a preliminary inquiry.
The BJP also alleged that Congress and IUML fear the probe could extend to hawala transactions involving Congress Cabinet members.
Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday, 13 October accused the Congress-led state government of deliberately stalling legal proceedings against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to shield him from a probe into alleged hawala transactions initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Chandrasekhar's remarks, made in Thiruvananthapuram, sharpen the BJP's offensive against both the ruling Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) in Kerala.
The Four-Day Delay at the Centre of the Row
The controversy centres on a gap between the Kerala High Court's order directing the state government to act on the allegations against Vijayan and the eventual registration of a First Information Report (FIR). According to Chandrasekhar, the state government registered the FIR four days after the court issued its directive — a delay the BJP leader argued was deliberate rather than procedural.
He further noted that Vijayan filed an appeal in the High Court within half an hour of the FIR being registered, and asked publicly whether the four-day gap was engineered to give Vijayan sufficient time to mount a legal challenge. The Congress has not yet responded to these specific allegations.
SIT Probe: BJP Questions Pace of Investigation
Chandrasekhar also trained his fire on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the matter. He said seventeen days had elapsed since the SIT's formation, yet there was 'no clarity on the steps taken by the team.' He cited legal provisions that set a maximum of 14 days for a preliminary inquiry, questioning what the SIT had accomplished in that window.
The ED had earlier directed Kerala Police Chief Ravada Azad Chandrasekhar to register a case last month, providing the legal backdrop for the state-level proceedings that followed.
BJP Alleges Political Understanding Between Congress and CPI-M
The BJP leader went further, alleging that the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) feared the investigation could widen to cover alleged hawala transactions involving members of the Congress-led Cabinet itself. He accused the Congress of placing its political interests ahead of legal obligation.
Chandrasekhar alleged the Congress was 'adopting double standards,' noting that the party had initially promised it would not pursue political vendetta and would follow the law when the SIT probe began. He claimed the two parties — Congress and CPI-M — had become de facto allies both in Kerala and at the national level, a charge that will likely feature prominently in upcoming political campaigns in the state.
Background and What Comes Next
The ED's hawala investigation against Vijayan is part of a broader scrutiny of financial transactions linked to his tenure as Chief Minister. This is not the first time allegations of a political nexus have surfaced in Kerala's fractured multi-party landscape, where the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) have historically been fierce rivals. Critics argue the BJP's framing of a Congress–CPI-M alliance is politically motivated, but the questions over procedural delays remain unanswered.
With the SIT investigation ongoing and Vijayan's legal challenge pending in the High Court, the case is expected to remain a flashpoint in Kerala politics. All eyes will now be on the SIT's next steps and the High Court's response to Vijayan's appeal.
Point of View
Effectively trying to tar both rivals with a single brush. The four-day FIR gap and Vijayan's near-instant appeal are verifiable facts that the Congress has not publicly explained, and silence on process questions tends to feed political narratives. Yet the BJP's claim of a Congress–CPI-M alliance in Kerala strains credibility given the two parties' structural enmity; the charge appears designed more for national consumption than local political reality. The real test is whether the SIT produces substantive action — if it does not, the BJP's pressure campaign gains traction regardless of the underlying political motivations.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ED hawala case against Pinarayi Vijayan?
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has directed the Kerala Police to investigate alleged hawala transactions linked to former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The ED directed the Kerala Police Chief to register a case last month, following which the state government eventually registered an FIR after a Kerala High Court order.
Why is the BJP accusing Congress of shielding Pinarayi Vijayan?
The BJP alleges that the Congress-led Kerala government waited four days after a Kerala High Court order before registering an FIR against Vijayan — a delay BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar says was designed to give Vijayan time to file a legal challenge. Vijayan reportedly filed a High Court appeal within half an hour of the FIR's registration.
What is the SIT formed in the Vijayan case, and why is the BJP questioning it?
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by the Kerala government to probe the allegations. The BJP says 17 days have passed since its formation with no visible progress, while the law provides a maximum of 14 days for a preliminary inquiry — raising questions about the SIT's intent and pace.
What role does the Congress claim in the Vijayan case?
Congress had initially stated it would not engage in political vendetta and would follow the law in the matter. The BJP, however, alleges that the party's subsequent actions — including the FIR delay — contradict this stated position and suggest a political understanding with the CPI-M.
Could the investigation extend beyond Pinarayi Vijayan?
The BJP has alleged that Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) fear the probe could widen to cover hawala transactions involving members of the Congress-led Cabinet. These remain allegations at this stage; no formal charges have been filed against any Cabinet member.
