Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
Credit: PTI Photo
Even as the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala continues to delay any action against ADGP M R Ajithkumar and chief minister's political secretary P Sasi, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has sought a report from the government on the allegation that the IPS officer and the political secretary had tapped phones of state ministers.
According to sources, the Governor sent a letter to the Chief Minister seeking a report on the actions taken on the serious allegations raised by CPM-backed independent MLA P V Anvar. He also sought details of a phone conversation of former district police chief of Pathanamthitta Sujith Das with Anvar that was made public by the latter.
Though coalition partners of the ruling Left Democratic Front, including the CPI, stressed the need for action against the IPS officer who had called on RSS top leaders, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reportedly said in the LDF meeting on Wednesday that procedures need to be followed for taking action against an IPS officer.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan later told reporters that action could not be taken just based on allegations. If the ongoing probe against the IPS officer by a team led by state police chief Sheik Darvesh Saheb finds him guilty, stringent action would be taken, he said.
Even as the government already initiated actions like suspension and transfer of many police officers against whom Anvar raised allegations, the delay in taking action against ADGP Ajithkumar triggered resentment even within the LDF.
Anvar continued his attack against the ADGP and the political secretary on Thursday also by alleging that the duo had even suppressed an intelligence report on the ADGP's meeting with RSS leaders Dattatreya Hosabale and Ram Madhav last year. Hence the Chief Minister had not seen the report, Anvar told reporters.
Opposition Congress alleged that the ADGP had held talks with RSS leaders to mediate for Vijayan so as to scuttle the probes into the smuggling allegations against the Vijayan.