Chennai, April 5, 2025
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) officials will continue interrogation of producer of controversial Malayalam movie L2:Empuraan Gokulam Gopalan again today (April 5).
It may be recalled that the officials of the premier investigation agency has been conducting raids and searches of Gokulam group since yesterday (April 4) morning.
The ED sleuths have raided the headquarters of Gokulam chut funds and finance at Kodambakkam, the residence of Gopalan at Neelamkarai and also Gokulam premises in Coimbatore and in Kozhikide, Kerala.
Gokulam Gopalan who was in Kozhikode was summoned to Chennai from Kozhikode and was questioned at his office in Chennai on Saturday evening and continued till late night.
Sources in the ED told IANS that Gokulam Gopalan will again be questioned today (April 5).
While there are reports that the ED had commenced raids and searches and questioned Gokulam Goplan due to his association with the production of the movie, “Empuraan” against which the sangh parivar has come out strongly at the national level.
The ED’s Kochi unit led the raid in coordination with their Chennai counterparts.
The action is being undertaken against Gopalan and his company Sree Gopalan chit and Finance Co Ltd for alleged FEMA violations of Rs 1,000 crore with certain NRIs and some related “unauthorised” transactions, the sources said.
The agency is also understood to be analysing some “cheating” cases against the company for possible investigation under the anti-money laundering law.
The Gokulam Group, headed by Gokulam Gopalan, has been reportedly under the ED’s scanner since 2023.
Gopalan, who has already been interrogated several times in connection with the case, is a well-known figure in the business and entertainment landscape.
His business interests span chit funds, finance, movie production and sports.
The raids have triggered political responses, with CPI(M) Kerala leader and Left Front convenor T.P. Ramakrishnan calling the move an act of “political vendetta.” Speaking to the media in Madurai during the CPI(M) party congress, Ramakrishnan alleged that the raids are linked to the production of Empuraan, a film that drew criticism from right-wing groups, including the Sangh Parivar.
The controversy stems from the film’s depiction of the 2002 Gujarat riots and its portrayal of central investigative agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and ED in a negative light.
The RSS-mouthpiece Organiser had earlier published a scathing critique of the film, accusing it of spreading misinformation.
Following the backlash, the producers—including Gopalam—approached the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to request a voluntary re-edit of the film.
Mohanlal, the lead actor, also issued a public apology on Facebook, expressing regret for the “emotional distress” caused by certain scenes.
“I understand that some socio-political themes in Empuraan, the sequel to the Lucifer franchise, have caused mental distress among viewers,” Mohanlal wrote.
“As an artist, I have a responsibility to ensure that none of my films promote hatred against any political, ideological, or religious group. We, the Empuraan team, sincerely regret the distress caused and have decided to remove the objectionable content.”
The film, directed by actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran, released on March 28 and initially enjoyed a strong box office opening. However, the political backlash was swift. BJP Kerala President and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar publicly denounced the film, stating he would not watch it due to its “distortion of facts.”
Prominent RSS leaders, including J. Nandakumar and A. Jayakumar, also took to social media to voice their disapproval, while several RSS-affiliated digital platforms in Kerala amplified the criticism.
Despite its commercial success, Empuraan remains mired in controversy over its political messaging and portrayal of national agencies, with the ED’s raids adding a fresh layer of intrigue to the unfolding narrative.
