If there is one department that has been consistently getting bad press in the two consecutive LDF governments in Kerala, it is the police department under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. But matters hit a new low when ruling-front MLA P V Anvar accused one of the top police officers in the state of having a nexus with criminals. Anvar, a former Congress leader who switched over to the LDF, has raised serious allegations against Additional Director General (Law and Order) M R Ajith Kumar that include gold smuggling, illicit phone tapping and even involvement in murder. On top, Anvar has alleged that the chief minister’s political secretary, P Sasi, is protecting the ADGP and is keeping the chief minister in the dark about some of the goings on in the department.
It all started with Anvar putting out a phone conversation he had surreptitiously recorded. In his conversation with police superintendent Sujith Das, the latter is heard making several startling allegations against Ajith Kumar. The conversation also mentions Sasi as “the godfather” of the ADGP. While releasing the recording, Anvar expressed concerns for his own safety as he was speaking out against people who had orchestrated killings. Immediately after the allegations were aired, in another unprecedented move, the chief minister announced at a police conference an investigation against the ADGP; he upheld the importance of discipline and said violations would not be tolerated. But Anvar has expressed dissatisfaction, explaining it with the metaphor of having a school’s peon investigating charges against the headmaster. Anvar has also met CPI(M)’s state secretary M V Govindan in this context.
The developments have set off waves in the political waters, too. Political pundits are scratching their heads about a possible power centre behind Anvar that gave him the courage to take on the powerful policeman and, indirectly, the chief minister. Whatever be the power play, if all this leads to a cleansing of the state’s police system, it will do well for the administration and the people. A fair investigation into all the allegations is of utmost importance. And strict action must be taken against those who bring disrepute to the police force if the charges are proven.