Supreme Court Halts Investigation Against Former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

The Supreme Court has placed a stay on the investigation involving former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and others in the CMRL-Exalogic case. This decision allows the petitioners to appeal against a previous ruling from the Kerala High Court. The court also criticized the Enforcement Directorate for overstepping its legal boundaries, emphasizing the need for agencies to respect each other's jurisdictions. This ruling comes during a special hearing held amid the Dussehra holidays, providing a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 21, 2026, 18:02 IST

Supreme Court's Ruling on CMRL-Exalogic Case

On Monday, the Supreme Court intervened in the CMRL-Exalogic case, placing a stay on the investigation involving former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his daughter and son-in-law, among others. The court also reprimanded the Enforcement Directorate (ED), instructing it to operate within its legal boundaries and refrain from interfering in the jurisdiction of other agencies.

The apex court has suspended further investigations for a period of seven days, allowing the petitioners to appeal against the Kerala High Court's ruling.

During a special hearing held amid the Dussehra holidays, the Supreme Court granted Vijayan and others the opportunity to challenge the single bench's order from October 9.

As the ED defended its position regarding the High Court's directive, Justice Bagchi remarked, "You (ED) have fulfilled your legal duty. The state must also perform its legal obligations. You have a scheduled offence; file your complaint and proceed with your prosecution. Do not overstep your legal boundaries. We are making this very clear. Do not use your power to interfere with the legal authority of other investigative agencies."

The Supreme Court has allowed the petitioners to advance their appeal against the Kerala High Court's order to register a criminal case, while imposing a seven-day stay on further investigations.