UDF Cites Court’s Remark on Vigilance Control as Criticism of CMO

Rapid Summary

• The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) criticized a special court’s rejection of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB)’s attempt too clear former Additional Director General of Police, M.R. Ajith Kumar, on corruption charges.
• Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan claimed this highlights how conspirators within the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) allegedly manipulate law enforcement for personal gain.
• Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge A. Manoj remarked that there was an “invisible penetration” influencing the preparation of reports favorable to high-ranking officers, bypassing Supreme Court rulings and vigilance Manual provisions.
• The judge accused investigation officers of distorting facts to absolve Mr. Ajith Kumar in a disproportionate assets case and criticized VACB’s handling as subservient to higher powers controlling it.
• Mr. Satheesan argued that the court’s decision demonstrates an erosion of trust in Kerala’s VACB under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
• Allegations included claims that Mr. Ajith Kumar acted as a secret liaison between CPI(M) and RSS leadership, further complicating political accusations against VACB and CMO.

Indian Opinion analysis
The court’s findings raise meaningful questions about accountability in investigating official corruption cases in Kerala under the current governance framework. If evidence supports claims that procedural norms were bypassed or manipulated, this could undermine public faith in law enforcement agencies tasked with impartiality and integrity.

For India at large,such incidents serve as cautionary tales about protecting institutions from undue influence while ensuring checks on executive power are robustly maintained by judicial oversight-a critical aspect for any democracy’s functionality.

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