Kerala HC grants bail to 9 CPI(M) workers in ED attack case
Synopsis
The Kerala High Court has granted bail to nine CPI(M) workers held for 67 days over the alleged attack on ED officials during the Masappadi case — and dealt a blow to the prosecution by observing it had prima facie failed to make out the attempt-to-murder charge. The case, rooted in violence during a search at Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan's residence, remains one of Kerala's most politically charged legal battles.
Key Takeaways
The Kerala High Court on 3 August granted conditional bail to nine CPI(M) workers in the Masappadi ED attack case .
The accused — including Kiran P.S. , Jeevan , Anil Kumar , and six others — had been in judicial custody for 67 days .
The court observed the prosecution had prima facie failed to establish the charge of attempt to murder , a setback for the state's case.
The violence on 27 May involved an alleged mob of nearly 300 people attacking ED officials returning from searches at Pinarayi Vijayan's residence.
The ED argued the attack was pre-planned, citing video evidence and the time gap between the search and the assault.
Bail pleas of four other accused are to be heard on Tuesday; the broader conspiracy probe continues.
The Kerala High Court on Monday, 3 August granted conditional bail to nine Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) workers who had been in judicial custody for over 67 days in connection with the alleged attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during the politically charged Masappadi case investigation. The ruling comes as a significant development in one of Kerala's most closely watched legal battles involving central agency officials.
Who Was Granted Bail
Justice Kauser Edappagath allowed the bail applications of Kiran P.S., Jeevan, Anil Kumar, Sreejith, Nishad, Sidarth S., Shefeek, Nandhu G.R., and Rahul A. Rajan. The court noted the absence of criminal antecedents among the accused and observed that the investigation was nearly complete. The bail pleas of four other accused in the same case are scheduled to be taken up on Tuesday.
Court's Key Observations
While granting bail, the court made clear that the allegations were serious and could not be justified. Significantly, it also observed orally that the prosecution had prima facie failed to establish the charge of attempt to murder — a finding widely viewed as a setback for the prosecution's case, even as it carries no formal legal binding at this stage.
What Happened on 27 May
The case stems from violence that erupted on 27 May, when ED officials were returning after conducting searches at the residence of Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter in connection with the Masappadi case. According to the prosecution, nearly 300 people surrounded the convoy, blocked official vehicles, and attacked them with stones, bricks, sticks, and iron rods, injuring ED officials, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, and police officers. The Museum Police registered the case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, including the charge of attempt to murder.
ED's Case Against the Accused
Opposing bail, the ED argued before the High Court that the incident was not a spontaneous protest but a well-planned and organised attack aimed at obstructing a lawful investigation and intimidating central agency officials. In an affidavit filed by V. Sanath Reddy, Assistant Director of the ED's Kochi unit, the agency alleged that the accused had assembled with deadly weapons, blocked official vehicles, raised slogans calling for the killing of ED officers, pelted stones, and vandalised government property. The ED also claimed to possess video evidence indicating coordinated movements and maintained that its probe into the wider conspiracy was still ongoing. It further argued that the gap between the commencement of the search and the attack indicated that sufficient time had been available to mobilise party workers.
What Comes Next
Despite the bail order, investigations into the remaining offences and the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 27 May violence will continue. The court's oral observation on the attempt-to-murder charge may complicate the prosecution's strategy going forward, though it does not amount to a formal ruling on the matter. The hearing on the remaining four accused is expected on Tuesday, and the case is likely to remain a flashpoint in the ongoing political and legal contest between Kerala's ruling establishment and central investigative agencies.
Point of View
But courts evaluate evidence, not political optics. This case sits at the intersection of federalism, political rivalry, and the limits of central agency power in a state where the ruling party and the accused are effectively the same political family. If the conspiracy angle does not hold up to judicial scrutiny, the entire framing of the incident as an organised assault on a national institution weakens considerably.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Kerala High Court grant bail to the nine CPI(M) workers?
The Kerala High Court granted bail citing 67 days of judicial custody, the near-completion of the investigation, and the absence of prior criminal records among the accused. Justice Kauser Edappagath found these factors sufficient to allow conditional bail despite the seriousness of the allegations.
What is the Masappadi case and why is it significant?
The Masappadi case is an ED investigation that led to searches at the residence of Kerala's Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter. The case is politically sensitive because it involves a central agency conducting searches at the home of a senior opposition leader, making it a flashpoint between the Kerala government and central investigative authorities.
What happened on 27 May that led to these arrests?
On 27 May, ED officials were allegedly attacked by a mob of nearly 300 people as they returned from conducting searches at Pinarayi Vijayan's residence. The attackers allegedly used stones, bricks, sticks, and iron rods, damaging official vehicles and injuring ED officials, CRPF personnel, and police officers.
What did the court say about the attempt-to-murder charge?
The court orally observed that the prosecution had prima facie failed to make out the charge of attempt to murder against the accused. While this is not a formal ruling, it is widely seen as a significant setback for the prosecution's case.
Will the investigation continue despite the bail order?
Yes. The bail order does not close the case. Investigations into the remaining offences and the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 27 May violence will continue, and the ED has maintained it possesses video evidence of coordinated movements by the accused.
