The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday, 24 July paid ₹1.75 lakh in full compensation to a Thiruvananthapuram-based taxi driver whose vehicle was vandalised by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) workers during protests against the agency's raid on the residence of Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan. The payment comes nearly two months after the attack, and after the CPI-M quietly walked back its own public promise to cover the driver's losses.

What Happened During the Attack

The incident occurred in May, as an ED team was leaving Pinarayi Vijayan's rented residence following searches linked to an ongoing investigation into his daughter, Veena Vijayan, who was staying at the property and remains under the agency's scanner. As the convoy exited, CPI-M workers allegedly surrounded the vehicles and attacked them. The taxi hired by the ED for official duty bore the brunt of the assault and was left extensively damaged.

The driver, who maintained he was performing a routine professional assignment with no connection to the investigation, found himself caught in the middle of a politically charged confrontation that cost him his only source of livelihood.

CPI-M's Broken Promise

The attack drew immediate and widespread condemnation. In its aftermath, the CPI-M publicly announced it would compensate the driver for the damage. However, the party subsequently reversed course and did not follow through on that commitment, leaving the driver to seek redress on his own for weeks.

The ED's decision to step in and settle the full claim of ₹1.75 lakh has now resolved the driver's immediate financial distress — but the political fallout from the episode is far from over.

Arrests and Judicial Custody

The criminal case stemming from the violence has moved swiftly. Police arrested 25 people in connection with the attack. As of now, only one accused has been granted bail; the remaining 24 continue to be held in judicial custody, reflecting the gravity with which courts have treated the allegations.

Political Fallout

The ED's compensation — an unusual step for a central investigative agency — has sharpened criticism of the CPI-M from opposition parties and observers. Critics argue that it is politically damaging for a ruling party to have an agency it publicly protested against ultimately come to the rescue of a civilian it failed to protect. The episode is expected to intensify scrutiny of the CPI-M's conduct both during the protest and in the weeks that followed.

With 24 accused still in custody and the investigation into Veena Vijayan continuing, the political and legal reverberations of the May attack are likely to persist well into the coming months.