Kerala’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home & Vigilance), Minhaj Alam (IAS:1996:KL), informed the High Court on Thursday that no vigilance probe is virtually needed against DGP (Prisons) S. Sreejith (IPS:1996:KL), as of now.
The ACS made this submission while appearing before the High Court, following the court’s direction to appear before it on August 20 over the alleged non-compliance with its earlier directions in a complaint seeking a vigilance inquiry against the IPS officer. The ACS submitted that he had complied with its order and found that no vigilance investigation was warranted against the IPS officer.
The submissions were made before Justice A. Badharudeen, who had asked the ACS to appear before him while hearing a writ petition challenging a compliance report submitted by the ACS (Home & Vigilance). The ACS had concluded that the petitioner’s allegations against senior police officer S. Sreejith, IPS, were “false and vexatious.”
The petitioner had alleged that DGP S Sreejith visited Dubai by availing casual leave without taking permission and attended the inauguration of a private enterprise in Dubai while wearing his police uniform. It was further alleged that the enterprise inaugurated was virtually a concern of S. Sreejith.
The court had directed an inquiry into the complaint, following which the ACS issued a notice asking the petitioner to appear for a joint hearing in the presence of Sreejith, the officer against whom the allegations had been made.
The petitioner declined to attend the joint hearing, saying it was unfair to present his case in the presence of the officer concerned and expressed his willingness to appear independently before the vigilance authorities.
The court had also directed the ACS on July 28 to give the petitioner an independent personal hearing in the absence of Sreejith and pass fresh orders within three weeks.
But despite this, the ACS submitted his compliance report, saying that the petitioner’s allegations against S Sreejith were “false and vexatious.”
The petitioner then moved a writ petition against the compliance report and informed the court that the directive had not yet been complied with. It was when the High Court directed the ACS to appear before it on Thursday.
The High Court has closed the matter, giving liberty to the petitioner to move accordingly in terms of the order as per law.
Get Latest Updates