THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The revelations against a top IPS officer and home department by CPM-backed MLA P V Anwar have come as a shot in the arm for the opposition UDF.
After the Justice Hema Committee report, the revelations by Anwar opened a new battleground for the Opposition against the left government. Both Congress state president K Sudhakaran and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan have sought an urgent probe into Anwar's revelations.
The LDF government was on song when they released the Justice Hema Committee's report after more than 4.5 years in hibernation. While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF allies took pride that they had created history by constituting a committee to study the problems faced by women actors in the Malayalam film industry, they were in for a jolt when Anwar came out against ADGP M R Ajith Kumar, Pathanamthitta SP Sujith Das and the powerful political secretary at CMO P Sasi.
The ruling front MLA's allegations include phone tapping, murder and gold smuggling. A top Congress leader told TNIE that Anwar's claim only shows that all is not well with the Police department.
"Anwar had said during his press briefing that the Chief Minister can't keep a tab on all 29 departments under his portfolio. Hence, he entrusted his political secretary Sasi to take care of what was happening in the Home department. If what Anwar had claimed is true, then there is serious introspection required on the part of the CPM leadership. A top police official will not be able to undertake phone tapping, murder and gold smuggling without the knowledge of the top CPM leaders," said a top Congress leader.
Sudhakaran, who has always been a sharp critic of Pinarayi, urged for an urgent probe against Anwar's allegations. While demanding a free and fair probe on the issue, Sudhakaran maintained that the ADGP should be terminated from service.
"The Chief Minister should react to Anwar's allegations. It should be recalled that this official was in the news earlier when he allegedly tried to influence those accused in the gold smuggling case in which the CMO officials were involved. Instead, the tainted police official got the crucial post of ADGP (law and order) for favours received," said Sudhakaran.
Public Works Department minister P A Mohammed Riyas had reacted to Anwar's claim where he stated that the party would react to it at an appropriate time.
Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan too had echoed the same sentiments of Sudhakaran citing that Ajith Kumar should be terminated from service immediately. Muraleedharan did not hide his ire against the top Police official after Anwar had alleged that he was the main culprit behind sabotaging the Thrissur Pooram.
It should be recalled that the Thrissur Pooram was disrupted and there were serious lapses on the part of the police. This had affected the prospects of the CPI and Congress candidates in the Thrissur Lok Sabha election which saw Muraleedharan coming out against the top Police official on Sunday.
A day after Satheesan demanded a CBI probe on the grave allegations Anwar had raised, he told reporters in Kochi that the LDF government should immediately suspend the tainted officials.
"The ruling front MLA's shocking revelation that an ADGP committing murder, which is endorsed by the Chief Minister and his political secretary and a begging SP will bring shame to a goonda,” said Satheesan.
The allegations have been raised by an MLA who is considered to be very close with the Chief Minister. The Opposition had claimed that it was a group of conspirators in the CMO who were running the Police force that has turned out to be true now," Satheesan added.