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Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 5 (IANS): As Enforcement Directorate officials from Bengaluru continued searches for the second day on Thursday at Bineesh Kodiyeri's residence here in connection with drugs-related money laundering case, close relatives sat in protest outside demanding permission to meet the family.
Bineesh is Kerala CPI-M secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan son, and the family lives together.
The group of relatives, including two women, wanted to be allowed in the house and meet the family, who have not stepped out since Wednesday morning, when the raid began.
A woman, claiming to be the sister of Balakrishnan's wife, told the media that their only request was that one of them be allowed to meet the family.
"We are sending food to them and it is now beyond 24 hours since the raid began. We want to know if the food is being eaten by our relatives or is it being consumed by the ED team. We will not go from here until our request is met," said the sister of Balakrishnan's wife. Inside the house are the wife of Bineesh, their three-year-old child and her parents.
Following the commotion, top Kerala Police officials arrived at the spot and after talks with the ED officials, they came and told the protesting relatives that those inside the house said 'they do not wish to see anyone'.
The raid had continued through the night and the house has been strictly manned by the CRPF and also a few Karnataka police officials.
The protesters said: "We do not believe what Kerala Police just conveyed. This is just a cooked up story. We know she (Bineesh's wife) will never say that. We want one of us to be sent inside the house."
While the ED ended its raids at five other places connected with Bineesh Kodiyeri's business interests on Wednesday night, it continued its operation inside the house.
However, at the time of the raid, Balakrishnan was not present in the house.
The officials said the raids were a follow-up on the information that they got from Bineesh, who has been in their custody since October 29.
Bineesh was arrested under the charges of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. He is in their custody till Saturday when he will be produced in the court at Bengaluru.