The Kerala government has appointed A. Santhosh Kumar as the new Special Public Prosecutor in the case related to the alleged attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. The appointment comes days after the bail granted to one of the accused sparked controversy over the prosecution’s stand in court.
Kumar replaces Geena Kumari, who faced criticism after she did not oppose the bail plea of Harish Kumar, the ninth accused in the case.
In a notification issued on Sunday, the state government said the appointment was made under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, along with the Kerala Government Law Officers (Appointment and Conditions of Service) and Conduct of Cases Rules, 1978. With the new appointment, A. Santhosh Kumar will now represent the state in the case.
The case relates to the alleged assault on ED officials and police personnel during a raid conducted on May 27 at the residence of Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan. The Enforcement Directorate was carrying out searches in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to CMRL, involving Vijayan’s daughter, Veena T.
As Gold 101.3FM, UAE’s No.1 radio station, reports, the police have booked Harish Kumar, the ninth accused, along with around 300 identifiable persons, alleging that they formed an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons and attacked officials during the operation.
The Enforcement Directorate has maintained that the attack was premeditated and not a spontaneous incident. Investigators informed the court that statements of witnesses have already been recorded and that most of the weapons allegedly used in the attack have been recovered.
The controversy arose after Harish Kumar was granted bail on Thursday, with the prosecution not opposing his application. In her submission before the court, then Special Public Prosecutor Geena Kumari stated that Harish’s continued custody was no longer necessary as the investigation had progressed substantially, despite the alleged weapon used by him not yet being recovered.
In the bail order, Sessions Judge Nazeera S observed that Harish’s release would not adversely affect the ongoing investigation. The court granted him bail on the condition that he execute a ₹50,000 bond with two solvent sureties of an equal amount, to the satisfaction of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-III in Thiruvananthapuram.
