ADGP Ajith Kumar stripped of Law and Order duties but retains the rank

Kerala’s Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M.R. Ajith Kumar, who has been accused of triggering the commotion during Thrissur Pooram and is facing a vigilance probe into his financial sources, has been stripped of his duties related to Law and Order after a hullabaloo of protests from various opposition parties

He will now focus solely on his role as ADGP of Armed Battalions, while ADGP Manoj Abraham, previously in charge of Intelligence, has assumed responsibility for Law and Order.

The decision follows allegations that Ajith Kumar met with influential figures from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), including General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale at a camp in Thrissur in December 2023 and RSS ideologue Ram Madhav in Thiruvananthapuram months earlier. These meetings have raised concerns about the ADGP's connections with a right-wing organisation, prompting scrutiny of his professional conduct.

The controversy intensified when P.V. Anvar, a rebel MLA from Nilambur, leaked an audio recording of a conversation with suspended Superintendent of Police Sujith Das. This conversation called into question the political influence over the police leadership in Kerala, particularly implicating P. Sasi, a CPI(M) figure previously suspended following a sexual assault complaint in 2011.

Anvar's allegations suggested Ajith Kumar's involvement in gold smuggling activities and improper surveillance of ministers and legislators, asserting that a network based in Dubai was supplying critical information to facilitate gold smuggling operations.

Anvar further claimed that Ajith Kumar was complicit in shielding individuals involved in the Solar Scam from prosecution, raising alarm over the potential corruption within the police department and its repercussions on the CPI(M) and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's reputation.

The Chief Minister's response to these developments has been cautious. He had previously indicated that actions would be taken if the allegations against the ADGP were substantiated. Following DGP Sheik Darvesh Saheb's report outlining shortcomings in Ajith Kumar's conduct, particularly his meetings with RSS leaders, the Chief Minister faced mounting pressure to act decisively.

Although the DGP had reportedly recommended strong measures against Ajith Kumar, the Chief Minister opted for a transfer rather than suspension, maintaining that mere allegations were insufficient grounds for punitive action.

The DGP's report, submitted on October 5, included findings related to Ajith Kumar's involvement in the disruption of the Thrissur Pooram festival and his alleged extrajudicial involvement in high-profile cases, such as the disappearance of industrialist Mohammad Mami and the murder of Ridan, linked to gold smuggling. The report presented critical evidence that compelled the Chief Minister to finally issue a directive removing Ajith Kumar from his Law and Order responsibilities.

The decision has also drawn the attention of the Communist Party of India (CPI), the second-largest coalition partner in the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which expressed dissatisfaction with Ajith Kumar's associations with RSS leaders. The CPI's leaders have voiced concerns that such relationships undermine the state's commitment to leftist values. Despite these ideological tensions, the Chief Minister's delayed action has been perceived as an attempt to protect Ajith Kumar, highlighting the complexities within the state's political dynamics.