Thiruvananthapuram: A top police officer was transferred in Kerala after his name cropped in the ongoing controversy over the diplomatic baggage gold smuggling scam.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led government transferred Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director M R Ajith Kumar on Friday, hours after gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh claimed an acquaintance of her had spoken to a senior police officer for help to her.
"M R Ajith Kumar, IPS (KL:1995), Additional Director General of Police, Vigilance with full additional charge of Director, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, is transferred with immediate effect," according to an order.
IPS officer H Venkatesh, Inspector General of Police, Vigilance (Headquarters), will have the full additional charge of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau until further orders, it said.
"Posting orders of Shri. M R Ajith Kumar IPS, Additional Director General of Police, will be issued separately," the order said.
The state government order came hours after Suresh, the accused in the controversial case of gold smuggling through a diplomatic package addressed to the UAE consulate, said that Shaj Kiran, a former journalist who claimed proximity with top police officers including the Additional Director General of Police, had promised to help remove legal obstacles that are preventing her from travelling abroad.
Suresh had claimed that her 'close friend' Shaj Kiran was contacted by Ajith Kumar and another senior cop, Vijay Sakhare to convince her to withdraw her statement given against the CM and his family.
The other day, Swapna had told media persons that Shaj talked to Ajith Kumar and Sakhare, 56 times in total, over WhatsApp while in her presence.
Sakhare had later refuted the allegations.
