Congress asks CM Vijayan to give up Home portfolio over alleged bid to shield 'tainted' top cop

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 15 (IANS) The Vigilance Court’s rejection of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (VACB) clean chit to Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and Excise Commissioner M.R. Ajith Kumar in a disproportionate assets case has sparked a political row in Kerala.

The Congress on Friday demanded that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan relinquish the Home portfolio for allegedly protecting the senior officer.

In a strongly worded order on Thursday, the court observed that although an enquiry was ordered, it was not conducted in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines.

“The enquiry officer did not approach the problem under the law and filed a report to save the suspected officer. The complainant was neither given an opportunity to present his case nor to supply evidence. He must now be given a chance to prove the allegations,” the court said.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and MLA Sunny Joseph said the ruling was a stern warning to the Chief Minister.

“The judgment exposes deliberate attempts by the Home Department to protect the ADGP. Since the Chief Minister also holds the Vigilance portfolio, he should step down as Home Minister,” Joseph asserted.

The court also recorded that there was a “conscious effort” to shield Ajith Kumar, citing his interactions with then Nilambur MLA P.V. Anvar, who had first flagged what he called the officer’s “unholy nexus” and “undesirable activities.”

Joseph claimed that these talks were held on instructions from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), casting suspicion on the CMO itself.

The KPCC chief listed the allegations against Ajith Kumar -- links with RSS leaders, involvement in the Thrissur Pooram fireworks incident, gold smuggling, and amassing illicit wealth. He demanded that an independent agency conduct an impartial probe.

Meanwhile, Ajith Kumar’s statement to the Vigilance, which surfaced on Friday, confirmed his meeting with Anvar at a friend’s house to “clarify doubts” the MLA had raised. He alleged that the charges stemmed from a conspiracy involving certain police officers who fabricated documents to tarnish him.

Ajith Kumar claimed Anvar targeted him because he refused to fulfil certain demands and denied profiteering from a flat resale. He said his house was built on land gifted by his father-in-law.

--IANS

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