Pinarayi Vijayan.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the Kerala government announced a probe against ADGP (law and order) M R Ajithkumar in connection with a series of serious allegations raised by left-front MLA P V Anvar, the delay on the part of the government in keeping off the officer from the key post has triggered allegations that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was trying to protect the officer.
The left-front MLA who was aggressively raising allegations against the IPS officer till Monday also toned down his stand on Tuesday by stating that his job as a comrade was over once he passed on all information to the Chief Minister and CPI(M) state leadership.
Anvar, who called on the Chief Minister on Tuesday, also said that he would not insist on removing the officer from the ADGP (law and order) post and was expecting that a fair probe will happen.
Ajithkumar had earlier faced allegations of misusing his official position to pursue gold smuggling accused Swapana Suresh to withdraw her statements on Pinarayi Vijayan's nexus with the gold smuggling racket involving UAE consulate officials. Hence the Pinarayi government's alleged soft stand towards the IPS officer has now triggered allegations of quid pro quo.
Sources also point out that many officers in the team formed by the government to probe into the allegations against Ajithkumar are his subordinates in the police department.
Though Anvar as well as a couple of others raised serious allegations against the Chief Minister's political secretary P Sasi, he was also not brought under the purview of the probe. This has also triggered strong resentment even within the ruling front.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress alleged that the probe ordered against the IPS officer was only a farce as a fair probe would not happen while Ajithkumar continues to hold key posts in the police.
He also criticised that the chief minister was acting as per the instructions of the corrupt lobby as he feared that his corruption would be also exposed by them.