ADGP Ajith Kumar, who is facing heat for meeting RSS leaders and mismanaging Thrissur Pooram festival, has been divested of the charge of Law and Order. He is now left with the responsibility of Armed Battalions.
ADGP Manoj Abraham, who was in charge of Intelligence, has been given the responsibility of Law and Order.
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It has been reported that succumbing to the demands of the coalition partner CPI and concurring to the findings of the high level team that inquired the allegations against Ajith Kumar, the state government stripped him of his key responsibility of law and order.
The action against Ajith Kumar comes after the state police chief, DGP Darvesh Sahib on Saturday submitted a report, which was reviewed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday.
According to sources, the high-level team in its report has stated that Kumar’s undisclosed meeting with national RSS leaders harmed the reputation of the police force and constituted a breach of service rules.
Additionally, the report indicated that the officer failed to notify the state government about these meetings, only doing so after receiving a report from the Special Branch.
It was alleged that Ajith Kumar had met RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale at Thrissur during an RSS camp in December 2023.
The ADGP reportedly met RSS leader Ram Madhav at a conclave organized by a national media in Kovalam on June 2.
Other allegations of corruption, amassment of wealth and misappropriation of gold levelled against Ajith kumar by PV Anvar MLA are being probed by the Vigilance.
The state government has already announced that the lapses from the part of Ajith, which led to disruption of Thrissur Pooram, will be probed by the State Police Chief.
Rebel LDF MLA PV Anvar has accused Kumar of having a role in gold smuggling and tapping phones of ministers and legislators. After Anwar’s allegations against Ajith Kumar, the demand to remove him from the post of ADGP in charge of law and order was raised from many quarters.
CPI state secretary Benoy Viswam welcomed the decision to transfer Ajith Kumar from the post of ADGP, law and order. He said that this was a victory of the LDF government.
The CPI had strongly criticised the state government for allowing Ajith Kumar to continue in the post.
Ajith Kumar’s removal from the post of ADGP law and order comes a day before the Assembly session is scheduled to start. The Congress-led Opposition and the CPI had been demanding the removal of Kumar, who is known to be a close confidant of Chief Minister Vijayan.
The action is seen as an attempt to weaken the opposition’s protest against the Chief Minister, who they accuse of harbouring the officer despite serious allegations against him.
