Govt didn’t suspend ADGP Ajith Kumar in haste; followed procedure: Kerala CM

Kerala chief minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday firmly defended the government's decision to suspend additional director general of police (ADGP) M.R. Ajith Kumar, asserting that every procedural safeguard was followed before the action was taken — a factor, he said, that ultimately led the Kerala Administrative Tribunal to decline any interim relief to the senior police officer.

Addressing reporters after a Cabinet meeting, Satheesan dismissed allegations that the government had dragged its feet to shield Ajith Kumar, saying the administration deliberately avoided knee-jerk reactions and instead acted only after carefully examining the evidence.

"The media criticised us, alleging that we were delaying action to protect the officer. But a government cannot act merely on the basis of media reports," the chief minister said.

"We proceeded only after following every procedural formality and carefully examining all reports. Since the decision was well-considered and legally sound, the tribunal did not stay the suspension," he added.

Ajith Kumar was placed under suspension on 24 July pending disciplinary proceedings over allegations that he interfered with the investigation into the assault on Youth Congress workers during the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme in Alappuzha in December 2023.

The suspension order was issued after a Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to probe the incident, concluded that there was sufficient material warranting disciplinary action against the senior IPS officer.

The case stems from allegations that members of the then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan's security and escort team assaulted Youth Congress activists, including present-day Alappuzha MLA A.D. Thomas, during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme on 15 December 2023. The incident led to the registration of a criminal case at the Alappuzha South Police Station and later became the subject of an SIT investigation.

Satheesan said the government acted in stages, based on the findings submitted by the investigating team.

According to him, the SIT's initial report led to the suspension of certain officials directly linked to the incident. A subsequent report examined the alleged role of Ajith Kumar, following which the Director General of Police scrutinised the findings, sought legal opinion and forwarded the matter to the government.

Only after reviewing the investigation report, the legal advice and the DGP's recommendations did the state government decide to suspend the ADGP, the chief minister said.

"We did not act in haste. The decision to investigate the matter was taken in the very first Cabinet meeting of this government, and within two months we completed the process and initiated action," Satheesan said, rejecting suggestions that the government had been reluctant to proceed against the officer.

Earlier in the day, home minister Ramesh Chennithala indicated that Ajith Kumar's prospects of becoming the next DGP had dimmed considerably following his suspension.

He noted that Ajith Kumar had topped the panel of officers approved for elevation to the post of DGP by the previous government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan and, by virtue of seniority, would ordinarily have been the frontrunner for promotion.

However, Chennithala pointed out that service rules governing All India Service officers clearly stipulate that promotions can be withheld if an officer is under suspension, facing disciplinary proceedings or has been chargesheeted in a criminal case.

"In the present case, the officer continues to remain under suspension and the tribunal has declined to stay that order. Under the prevailing rules, his promotion is therefore unlikely," the minister said.

Chennithala also maintained that the government had meticulously followed the prescribed legal procedure before placing the senior police officer under suspension, reinforcing the state's position that the action was based on due process rather than political considerations.

With PTI inputs