Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of the “damning” revelation by Swapna Suresh on the involvement Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family in the gold and currency smuggling case in which she is the prime accused, M.R. Ajith Kumar IPS, Additional Director General of Police was shunted out from his post.
The development took place late on Friday night.
In her revelation early this week, Swapna had said that Shaj Kiran, a middleman who was trying to settle the case with her, had mentioned about a connection between Kumar and an additional director general of Police- Law and Order (whom she did not name, but gave his designation).
While Kumar maintained stoic silence, the ADGP law and Order- Vijay Sakhre said he has no clue of why his name was being dragged when he had no role in it.
Meanwhile, Vijayan who is yet to speak to the media after his candidate was humbled at the Thrikkakara by-election when votes was counted on June 3, has gone into a shell. Mediapersons covering his function in Kottayam, have been asked to be present inside the venue an hour before he arrives on Saturday.
Also, no body wearing a black face mask would be allowed inside.
This kind of caution is an exception as such guidelines are issued only when the Prime Minister or President visit the state.
Ever since the revelations, no media person has been allowed near him.
Reacting to the developments, senior Congress legislator and former Leader of Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala, who had gone hammer and tongs against Vijayan when the gold smuggling case surfaced in 2020, said on Saturday that latter is trying to escape by finding scapegoats.
“His role in the case has to come out. He is hiding inside a fortress of police personnel as he fears the media,” said Chennithala, who is also a former Home Minister.
Meanwhile, Swapna who has been the media’s delight since Monday, has said she is indisposed and will not be meeting the media for the coming two days.