Kerala CM orders suspension of official over incorrect RTI response on Thrissur Pooram probe

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday ordered the suspension of an Information Officer at the Police Headquarters for providing an incorrect response to an RTI application regarding the disruption of the Thrissur Pooram.

The move followed strong criticism from both the opposition Congress and the CPI, a major constituent of the ruling LDF, over the RTI response related to the police investigation into the Pooram disruption a few months ago.

The RTI response from the police stated no investigation has been conducted regarding the disruption of the festivities.

Launching a scathing attack on the chief minister, the Congress alleged that the RTI response reinforced its suspicions of sabotage in the investigation. The party also demanded a judicial probe into the matter.

“The chief minister has directed disciplinary action and the suspension of M S Santhosh, the State Public Information Officer at the Police Headquarters and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) of the NRI Cell, pending an inquiry,” a CMO statement said on Friday evening.

The action was taken after it was found that Santhosh provided an incorrect response to an RTI (Right to Information) application related to the Thrissur Pooram investigation, which allegedly brought disrepute to the government and the police force, the statement said.

Earlier in the day, while slamming the government over the issue, KPCC president K Sudhakaran noted that, according to information obtained through the RTI Act, there is no indication of an ongoing investigation.

The Thrissur City Police have also confirmed this, further reinforcing suspicions that the investigation has been sabotaged, he claimed.

Sudhakaran said that Chief Minister Vijayan had indicated that the state police chief would investigate the disruption of the Pooram festival this year and provide a report within a week.

“However, five months have passed, and the investigation has remained nothing more than a mere announcement and a farce. Despite repeated demands for the investigation report to be made public, the chief minister and the government have not been willing to do so, indicating that no investigation is actually taking place,” the KPCC chief said.

He asserted that the information revealed through the RTI Act paints a clear picture of the conspiracy between the CPI(M) and the RSS to ensure the BJP’s victory in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat.

Referring to BJP candidate Suresh Gopi’s victory in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, Sudhakaran alleged that the CPI(M) implemented a secret strategy to ensure the saffron party’s success, thereby helping the chief minister evade investigations by Central agencies.

“The chief minister’s decision to assign the investigation of the Pooram disruption to an ADGP with RSS connections is aimed at sabotaging the inquiry,” he alleged.

Meanwhile, CPI leader and former minister V S Sunil Kumar has issued a warning that if no action is taken regarding the disruption of the Thrissur Pooram festival, he will reveal certain information to the public.

His response came in light of the RTI report stating that no investigation has been conducted into the disruption of the festival.

Sunil Kumar was the Left candidate for the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat.