Thiruvananthapuram, 25 July (H.S.) :In another setback for suspended Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M.R. Ajith Kumar, the Kerala government has rejected a report submitted by him alleging irregularities in the Sabarimala-based Punyam Poonkavanam project and has exonerated senior police officer P. Vijayan, who had served as the project's nodal officer.

The government, acting on an inquiry conducted by the Home Secretary, concluded that there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Vijayan and accepted his explanation in full. An official order issued by the government has also approved the revival of the Punyam Poonkavanam project ahead of the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season.

Punyam Poonkavanam was a police-led initiative aimed at improving sanitation, waste management and pilgrim services at the Sabarimala hill shrine. The programme had been discontinued after allegations surfaced that irregularities were taking place under its cover.

The controversy began after the Kerala High Court directed Ajith Kumar, then the ADGP in charge of law and order and Chief Coordinator for Sabarimala, to investigate the complaints and submit a report. Ajith Kumar's report reportedly contained serious allegations against P. Vijayan, prompting the High Court to direct the state government to conduct a separate inquiry into the accusations against the senior officer.

Following the government inquiry, however, the allegations were found to be unsubstantiated. The government order states that no irregularities were detected in the implementation of the project and directs that the initiative be resumed during the forthcoming Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

The development comes at a time when Ajith Kumar remains under suspension. The government’s decision to reject his findings and clear Vijayan is being viewed as a significant reversal of the earlier allegations made during a period of reported factionalism among senior IPS officers in the state.

Vijayan had also lodged a complaint against Ajith Kumar after the latter allegedly linked him to a gold smuggling network centred around Karipur. That allegation was later found to be baseless, and the complaint seeking action against Ajith Kumar is still pending before the state government.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman