Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday (September 4, 2024) demanded the immediate removal of M.R. Ajith Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, from the top post and cautioned the Kerala government of impending street agitations if the ranking officer continued in office, given the high-level investigation against him.
Mr. Satheesan’s demand assumed importance against the backdrop of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan constituting a special team headed by the State Police Chief to investigate the charges of criminality, corruption and nepotism ruling front legislator P.V. Anvar had raised against the ranking officer.
At a press conference, Mr. Satheesan questioned the team’s integrity. “How can a sub-inspector investigate his District Police Chief?” he asked.
He also demanded the expulsion of Sujith Das, former District Police Chief (Malappuram and Pathanamthitta), who is facing charges of gold smuggling and illegal tree-felling.
‘Current probe a sham’
Mr. Satheesan said the United Democratic Front (UDF) would not settle for anything less than a CBI probe. He said the current high-level investigation was a sham to pull the wool over the public’s eye. Opposition workers would lay siege to the Secretariat to press their demand.
Mr. Satheesan also demanded that Mr. Vijayan’s political secretary P. Sasi be brought under the proposed CBI probe. He pointed out that a ruling front MLA had accused Mr. Sasi of giving free rein to Mr. Kumar.
“Mr. Anvar had accused the police of profiting from ambushing gold smugglers and drug peddling and held them responsible, under Mr. Kumar’s watch, for two murders, one disappearance and an incident of illegal tree-felling. The officer still holds high office with total impunity”, he said.
Mr. Satheesan accused Mr. Vijayan of shielding Mr. Kumar and Mr. Sasi.
‘ADGP met RSS leader’
“The Chief Minister had used Mr. Kumar as a political agent. The ADGP had met a top RSS leader, Dattatreya Hosabale, in Thrissur in 2023 at the Chief Minister’s behest. He had used Mr. Kumar to coerce UAE gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh into retracting her incriminating statement against the Chief Minister’s Office by abducting the woman’s aide. When the kidnapping caused a scandal, the government temporarily removed Mr. Kumar as Director General of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) only to elevate him as ADGP, Law and Order,” Mr. Satheesan alleged.
Thrissur Pooram row
He accused Mr. Kumar of tasking the then Commissioner of Police, Thrissur, to scuttle the Thrissur Pooram to give a clear advantage to the BJP in 2024 the Lok Sabha elections by stoking Hindu majoritarian resentment.
“As a quid pro quo for the help, the Central government held back the Enforcement Directorate (ED) from pursuing the CPI(M)-controlled Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam”, he said. Mr. Satheesan pointed out that the CPI had raised a similar accusation.
Mr. Satheesan alleged that Mr. Vijayan, “feted for his courage in the face of adversity”, seemed afraid of Mr. Kumar and Mr. Sasi. “If Mr. Vijayan failed to protect the officer and the political secretary, more embarrassing truths will tumble out like the proverbial skeletons tumbling out of the cupboard”, he added.
