ADGP Manoj Abraham was on Friday, July 8, appointed as the new vigilance director by the Kerala government. A total of 17 IPS rank officers were transferred in the reshuffle, according to reports. Manoj was the ADGP of Police Headquarters.

Apart from him, ADGP of Armed Battalion K Padmakumar has been appointed as the ADGP of Police Headquarters. Yogesh Gupta - currently serving as the ADGP of the state crime records bureau - is appointed as the new Bevco (Kerala State Beverages Corporation) MD; ADGP MR Ajith Kumar, who was the ADGP of Protection of Civil Rights has been transferred to be the ADGP, Armed Battalion. He was transferred from the post of vigilance director, in June this year, after Kerala gold smuggling case key accused Swapna Suresh levelled allegations against him. In addition to this post, he will also remain as the ADGP, Protection of Civil Rights.

He was transferred after Swapna said that a former journalist Shaji Kiran, who claimed proximity with top police officers including the Additional Director General of Police, had promised to help remove legal obstacles that were preventing her from travelling abroad. According to reports, the Vigilance Director had been in touch with Shaji and there were multiple phone calls between the two.

Swapna, who was a former employee of the UAE Consulate in Kerala, after recording the 164 statement, had alleged that a bag of cash was sent to Dubai through the diplomatic route while the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was in Dubai on an official visit. Swapna told the media that her statement named the Chief Minister, his wife Kamala Vijayan, daughter Veena Vijayan, former state Chief Secretary Nalini Netto, Additional Private Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister CM Raveendran and former Kerala Education Minister and current legislator KT Jaleel. Meanwhile, the Kerala CM rubbished Swapna’s allegations as baseless and politically motivated.