Kerala Government Seeks Legal Advice on Prosecuting Top Police Officer in Assault Case

The Kerala government has sought a legal opinion on whether to prosecute Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M.R. Ajith Kumar for allegedly attempting to obstruct an investigation into an assault by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's security detail.

The case involves Youth Congress workers who were beaten while protesting in Alappuzha in November 2023. The security personnel of the then chief minister were accused of attacking the protesters.

Officials said Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has referred the matter to the State Advocate General's office, based on a statement filed by the charging officer, Baiju Paulose, in the Alappuzha district court in June.

Mr. Paulose told the court that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case had found instances where previous investigating and supervisory officers had allegedly manipulated records, suppressed or substituted evidence to shield the accused from prosecution and disciplinary action. The court filing did not name any officer, but Mr. Ajith Kumar was the ADGP (Law and Order) at the time.

Two injured Youth Congress workers—A.D. Thomas, now the Alappuzha MLA, and Ajay Juel Kuriakose—supported by the Congress party, have accused Mr. Ajith Kumar of sabotaging the investigation and demanded that the government prosecute him.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) government, which came to power after the incident, suspended the security personnel involved in May. However, prosecuting an IPS officer like Mr. Ajith Kumar requires central government concurrence under All India Service rules.

Opposition leaders and the accused officers have termed the case politically motivated, arguing that the security detail acted within the law. The previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had claimed that the Youth Congress protesters had tried to endanger Mr. Vijayan by attacking his convoy.

But the SIT, appointed by the current UDF government, told the court that Mr. Vijayan's security detail lacked a defensible reason to leave their escort vehicle and attack protesters who were already detained by local police. The SIT stated that the convoy was not attacked and the bus carrying the cabinet suffered no damage.

The SIT also accused the officers of violating Z+ security protocol by physically engaging the demonstrators, thereby failing in their primary duty of providing proximate security to Mr. Vijayan.