Thiruvananthapuram: Suspended Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M R Ajith Kumar had exerted pressure on subordinate police officers to cite insufficient evidence and deliberately weaken their investigation into the assault on KSU and Youth Congress leaders during the Nava Kerala Yatra on December 15, 2023.

This was stated in the government order issued on Friday suspending Ajith Kumar, who was serving as Chairman and Managing Director of Kerala State Beverages Corporation Limited. "The statements of the earlier Investigating Officers, namely K P Tomson, Inspector of Police, Arun K S, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Sunilraj, Deputy Superintendent of Police, consistently disclose that they were subjected to pressure (by the then law and order ADGP Ajith Kumar) during the course of investigation," the order says.

These statements were recorded by the Special Investigation Team constituted on May 19 under Shoukathali IPS, Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch. Forming the SIT was one of the first decisions taken by the UDF government.

The SIT report said that the office of the then law and order ADGP had influenced the course of investigation and "shaped it in a way that the case finally ended in a Refer Report, and the earlier Investigating Officers alleged that they were pressurised to shape the case towards the Refer Report."

A refer report, in police jargon, is a document prepared by the police concluding that there is insufficient evidence, in effect recommending the closure of the case.

In particular, Tomson stated before the SIT that during a meeting, the then law and order ADGP had examined the case diary, expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of investigation and questioned the findings recorded, especially the conclusion indicating the involvement of members of the Chief Minister's security and escort team.

The visuals of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's gunman and escort officers jumping out of their vehicles and clobbering KSU and Youth Congress leaders A D Thomas (who is now Alappuzha MLA) and Ajay Juel Kuriakose, who were waving black flags and shouting slogans as the Nava Kerala bus with the Chief Minister was passing through Alappuzha town, had gone viral. Yet, the investigating officers appointed by the LDF government said there was insufficient evidence. The SIT report has now concluded that this was done at the urging of the then law and order ADGP.

Besides Tomson, the other two officers in the earlier investigation team - Arun and Sunilraj - had also testified against Ajith Kumar. Sunilraj had revealed to the SIT orders he had received from the ADGP through the Superintendent of Police that said: "The CM PSO (personal security officer) case may be referred by tomorrow" and "I think investigation is over and only pending for refer notice". The SIT said these communications indicated attempts to influence the outcome of the investigation.

Not just the SP, two officers attached to the then ADGP - Grade Sub Inspector Gireesh and Sub Inspector Sreekanth - had played what the SIT called "multiple roles" to eventually water down the investigation report into a refer Report.

Ajith Kumar was given a copy of the SIT report and was asked for an explanation. The ADGP denied all the charges. He questioned the SIT findings and said it had gone beyond its scope. However, he said he would submit a detailed reply after he was allowed to cross-verify the statements of the police officers who conducted the investigation into the Nava Kerala Yatra assault. He also wanted a copy of the report sent to the Police Headquarters by the then Alappuzha District Police Chief on January 1, 2024, recommending disciplinary action against the policemen involved in the incident.

DGP-cum-State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar declined his requests for cross-verification and also the Alappuzha Police Chief's report, and said that Ajith Kumar's explanation was "not fully satisfactory". The State Police Chief termed the influence Ajith Kumar brought to bear on the investigation as "serious" and recommended "needful action".