Kerala Opposition Leader announces agitation to remove beleaguered ADGP Ajith Kumar from top post 

Kerala's Opposition Leader demands removal of top police officer amid corruption allegations, warns of street protests.

Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday (September 4, 2024) demanded the immediate removal of M.R. Ajith Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, from the top post and cautioned the Kerala government of impending street agitations if the ranking officer continued in office, given the high-level investigation against him.

Mr. Satheesan’s demand assumed importance against the backdrop of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan constituting a special team headed by the State Police Chief to investigate the charges of criminality, corruption and nepotism ruling front legislator P.V. Anvar had raised against the ranking officer. 

At a press conference, Mr. Satheesan questioned the team’s integrity. “How can a sub-inspector investigate his District Police Chief?” he asked. 

He also demanded the expulsion of Sujith Das, former District Police Chief (Malappuram and Pathanamthitta), who is facing charges of gold smuggling and illegal tree-felling.

Mr. Satheesan said the United Democratic Front (UDF) would not settle for anything less than a CBI probe. He said the current high-level investigation was a sham to pull the wool over the public’s eye. Opposition workers would lay siege to the Secretariat to press their demand. 

Mr. Satheesan also demanded that Mr. Vijayan’s political secretary P. Sasi be brought under the proposed CBI probe. He pointed out that a ruling front MLA had accused Mr. Sasi of giving free rein to Mr. Kumar.

“Mr. Anvar had accused the police of profiting from ambushing gold smugglers and drug peddling and held them responsible, under Mr. Kumar’s watch, for two murders, one disappearance and an incident of illegal tree-felling. The officer still holds high office with total impunity”, he said.