Kerala Governor seeks report on alleged phone tapping of ministers

PTI, Sep 11, 2024, 4:27 PM IST

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has sought a report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the Left MLA P V Anvar’s allegations that the police tapped the phone calls of ministers, along with other “revelations” implicating certain police officers in illegal activities.

An official source revealed that the Governor has sent a letter to the chief minister, seeking an update on the government’s actions regarding the alleged “serious offences.” Raj Bhavan views the alleged phone tapping of ministers by the police as a violation of the law and Supreme Court guidelines, the source said.

The Governor has also asked for details about a leaked phone conversation between Anvar and IPS officer Sujith Das, who had served as the district police chief of Malappuram and Pathanamthitta. Das was suspended following the leak of his phone conversation with the Nilambur MLA.

This move by the Governor comes amid growing pressure on Chief Minister Vijayan to take action against his political secretary P Sasi and ADGP (Law and Order) M R Ajith Kumar, both close associates of the CM, in light of Anvar’s allegations against them.

Anvar, a businessman-turned-politician and two-time MLA, has accused Sasi and Ajithkumar of breaching the chief minister’s trust and neglecting their responsibilities.

He has levelled serious charges against Ajithkumar, accusing the senior IPS officer of tapping the phones of ministers, political leaders, and journalists.

Anvar also alleged that the officer has close ties to gold smuggling rackets and is involved in several serious crimes.