S. Sreejith emerges front-runner for Kerala DGP post after M.R. Ajith Kumar’s suspension

With Director General of Kerala Fire and Rescue Services Nitin Agrawal set to retire on Friday (July 31, 2026), attention has shifted to the appointment of the State’s next Director General of Police (DGP).The race for the top police post has taken a new turn following the suspension of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M.R. Ajith Kumar, who was widely considered the front-runner for promotion.Mr. Kumar was suspended after disciplinary action was initiated against him over allegations that he attempted to interfere with the investigation into the alleged assault on Youth Congress workers by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s security personnel during the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme in Alappuzha in 2023.Under the circumstances, ADGP S. Sreejith, the present Director General of Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services, has emerged as the strongest candidate for the State’s top police position. Mr. Sreejith, a 1996-batch IPS officer, is the next senior-most officer in the line of succession.Panel recommendationsDuring the previous government’s tenure, a screening committee that met in December had recommended two 1995-batch IPS officers, Suresh Raj Purohit and Mr. Kumar, for appointment as DGP. However, Mr. Purohit continues on Central deputation and is not expected to return to the State until January 2027, making Mr. Kumar the likely choice until his suspension.Sources in the Home department indicated that with Mr. Kumar under suspension, the opportunity would naturally pass to the next eligible officer, while stressing that the final decision rests with the State government.“No fresh screening committee is required for the promotion process. If the senior-most eligible officer is ineligible, the opportunity automatically passes to the next officer in the seniority list,” an official said, while asserting that the action against Mr. Kumar was taken on the basis of the report submitted by the State Police Chief after careful consideration.Besides, promotion can be withheld if an officer is under suspension, faces departmental proceedings or has been chargesheeted in a criminal case under the service rules, the source added.Moreover, the Central Administrative Tribunal rejected Mr. Kumar’s plea seeking an interim stay on his suspension. The officer argued that his suspension order was illegal and that promoting his junior officers before deciding his case would adversely affect his service prospects. Published - July 30, 2026 05:32 pm IST