Kochi, August 20: The Kerala government informed the High Court on Thursday that no vigilance inquiry is necessary against DGP S. Sreejit, IPS. He was accused of traveling to Dubai without obtaining permission for foreign travel and allegedly participating in the inauguration of a private enterprise linked to him.
Minhaj Alam, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home and Vigilance Department, presented this information before Justice A. Badaruddeen, who had previously directed Sreejit to appear in person following the allegations. Alam stated that the government had not complied with a prior court order regarding this matter.
The court was considering a petition challenging the compliance report from the vigilance department, which concluded that the allegations against Sreejit were false and vexatious. The petitioner claimed that Sreejit took casual leave and traveled to Dubai without proper authorization.
Additionally, he was accused of attending the inauguration of a private venture associated with him. Earlier, the High Court had directed an investigation into the complaint.
Following this, the Additional Chief Secretary issued a notice to the petitioner, asking him to appear for a hearing. The petitioner objected to the need for a joint hearing in Sreejit’s presence, as he was the subject of the allegations. He expressed a desire to appear independently before the authorities.
Later, the High Court instructed the Additional Chief Secretary to provide the petitioner with an independent personal hearing before proceeding further in Sreejit’s absence. The court remarked that compelling the complainant to participate in a hearing alongside the accused would not be considered a fair process.
When the alleged violation of this directive was brought before the court, the Additional Chief Secretary was summoned to appear personally. On Thursday, while appearing before the court, Minhaj Alam stated that he had complied with the directive and found no need for a vigilance inquiry at this time.
The court subsequently concluded the proceedings, granting the petitioner the freedom to pursue appropriate legal remedies. Justice Badaruddeen issued a stern warning to government officials regarding compliance with court orders.
The court emphasized that officials must be accountable and warned that repeated negligence could result in personal appearances before the court and even contempt proceedings. Additionally, the court verbally instructed officials to file appropriate petitions instead of sending clerks or peons to the High Court for further orders, warning that fines could be imposed for future negligence.
This ruling allows the petitioner to advance the case. However, the government has currently denied the necessity for a vigilance inquiry against Sreejit, who was recently promoted to the position of DGP.
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