THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Police Headquarters (PHQ) has returned to the state government the report of former State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb on ADGP M R Ajith Kumar’s alleged lapses during the 2024 Thrissur Pooram, without adding any remarks.
The file was returned to the government last week as incumbent Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar took a stand that there was no ground for him to add any remarks on the report, which was prepared by his predecessor after a detailed inquiry. Earlier, the state government had forwarded Shaik’s report to the PHQ seeking remarks of the new head of the force.
The move of the state government had appeared outlandish as the report was prepared after a detailed probe by the former police chief, who is senior to Ravada.
Sources said the PHQ took a stand that it had no locus standi to give remarks on Shaik’s report as the current police chief was never part of any investigation conducted against Ajith.
The act of the state government referring the report to the PHQ had raised a few eyebrows. Many felt it was part of the ploy to delay acting on Shaik’s report, which reportedly carried critical remarks against Ajith. If Ravada had given remarks suggesting a mild action against the officer, it could have given the government an excuse to go soft on the officer, sources felt.
Shaik had filed his report with the government in the last week of June, just days before his retirement, where he reportedly stated that there were lapses from Ajith’s part during the pooram. Revenue Minister K Rajan had testified that when the pooram faced disruption, he tried to reach Ajith over phone and that he did not respond.
Responding to this, the officer stated before the police chief that when the minister telephoned him, he had returned to his room after overseeing all security preparations and fallen asleep, because of which he did not see the calls.
The report said the officer’s reply showed his failure in performing responsibilities. After Shaik filed the report with the government, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) noted in the file that the matter was serious and forwarded it to the chief minister for action.
Ajith was caught in the eye of the storm ever since former Nilambur legislator P V Anvar raised a slew of serious allegations against him, including allegedly hobnobbing with the RSS leaders to disrupt Thrissur Pooram. The opposition parties and a section of CPI leaders too had seconded the allegation and opined that the Pooram was sabotaged to give electoral gains for the NDA candidate in the Lok Sabha polls.
Ajith appointed excise commissioner amid tractor row
The government has appointed ADGP M R Ajith Kumar as the new excise commissioner as incumbent commissioner Mahipal Yadav, who is set to retire in August, has gone on commuted leave due to medical issues. Transfer of Ajith outside the police force comes at a time when he is embroiled in a row over his use of tractor in Sabarimala during a personal visit. The state government in May had transferred Ajith, who was ADGP (Armed Battalion), and posted him as excise commissioner. However, the transfer of Ajith and three other IPS officers was reversed after some of them expressed reservations.
