Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday suspended Superintendent of Police Sujith Das, former District Police Chief (DPC) of Pathanamthitta, from service pending inquiry.
Left Democratic Front Independent legislator P.V. Anvar had accused the officer of indulging in grave wrongdoing, including murder, disappearances, using plain-clothes squads to ambush smugglers for contraband gold and illegal tree-felling from his government quarters while he served as DPC in Malappuram.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said Mr. Das had violated Indian Police Service (IPS) rules by pleading guilty to Mr. Anvar and seeking to withdraw the complaints against him, including illegal tree felling from his official quarters in Malappuram. A preliminary inquiry found that Mr Das had disparaged his superior officers and counterparts in other districts. Unethical practices represent a serious breach of conduct from a high-ranking officer in the IPS. These actions are in direct contravention of Rule 18 of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.
Behaviour of this kind poses a significant risk to the reputation of the Police department as a whole. The widespread publicity of his action in the media has already begun to erode public confidence in the law enforcement community. When a senior officer engages in conduct that violates the ethical and professional standards of the service, it not only damages the reputation of the individual but also casts a shadow over the entire Police department.
The telephone conversation between Mr. Das and the MLA was highly unbecoming of a police officer. The officer had not refuted the above-said telephone conversation. Mr. Das was placed under suspension under Rule 3 (1) of All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969 with immediate effect, against contemplated disciplinary action. The CMO said Mr. Das will be eligible for for subsistence allowance under Rule 4 of All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969.
Mr. Anvar had given his bombshell accusations against the officer, including murder, disappearances, using plainclothes squads to ambush smugglers for contraband gold and illegal tree-felling from his government quarters to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in writing.
Later, Mr. Anvar accused Mr. Das of working with District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) officers loyal to him in Malappuram to erase evidence of the officer’s alleged crime.
Mr. Anvar had also released a mobile phone recording of his conversation with Mr. Das. In the recording, the person purported to be Mr. Das disparages his counterparts in Palakkad and Malappuram and accuses Mr. Vijayan’s political secretary, P. Sasi, of giving free rein over law enforcement to Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, M.R. Ajith Kumar.
According to Mr. Anvar, Mr. Das had accused Mr. Kumar of using the latter’s “untrammelled authority” in the police and government to advantage the ADGP’s in-laws financially. Mr. Das was yet to deny the allegations.
The government had ordered Mr. Das’s suspension on the eve of Congress’s siege of the Secretariat demanding Mr. Vijayan’s resignation.
Mr. Vijayan suspended him based on a preliminary inquiry report filed by Deputy Inspector General of Police S. Ajeetha Begum.
Published - September 05, 2024 09:04 pm IST
