{
  "id": 2809079,
  "title": "ED taking up cases with political motive and bias, claims CPI(M) Keralam secretary M.V. Govindan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/ed-taking-up-cases-with-political-motive-and-bias-claims-cpi-m",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-23T15:06:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/ed-taking-up-cases-with-political-motive-and-bias-claims-cpim-keralam-secretary-mv-govindan/article71381506.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "M.V. Govindan, secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala, has accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of targeting opposition party leaders with politically motivated investigations. Speaking at a public meeting, Govindan alleged that the ED was registering cases based on political targets rather than factual evidence, with approximately 95% of the accused belonging to opposition parties over the past 12 years. He cited the cases against senior journalist Prabir Purkayastha and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who were later acquitted by courts due to lack of evidence. Govindan also claimed that the ED had not pursued charges of financial misappropriation against BJP leaders, while focusing on BJP functionaries in cases like the Kodakara highway heist and election fund misappropriation. He pointed out that some opposition leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, shifted their allegiance to the BJP upon facing ED investigations, causing the cases to disappear. Govindan alleged that the ED had registered around 5,900 cases and conducted 7,450 raids in the past 12 years, but only 9% of these resulted in chargesheets and 25 convictions. He claimed that the ED was attempting to tarnish the reputation of opposition leaders and warned that they would fight the accusations both politically and legally.",
  "summary": "He says financial misappropriation charges against BJP leaders are not being pursued. ED first sets a political target and then start the investigation to find evidence, Govindan adds",
  "key_points": [
    "ED targeting opposition leaders with politically motivated investigations.",
    "95% of accused belong to opposition parties over past 12 years.",
    "ED registered 5,900 cases, 7,450 raids, but only 25 convictions."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}