Kerala High Court Summons Home Secretary Over Delay in Probe Against ADGP S Sreejith
The Kerala High Court has directed the Additional Chief Secretary of the State Home Department to appear personally before it on August 20 over the government’s failure to comply with an earlier order concerning a complaint against senior IPS officer S. Sreejith. The court’s latest intervention comes after the authorities did not complete the reconsideration process within the time prescribed by the court.
The matter concerns allegations against Sreejith, a 1996-batch IPS officer of the Kerala cadre, relating to his reported participation in the inauguration of a private enterprise in Dubai while wearing his police uniform. The complaint was filed by Dipin Edavana, an Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector from Kannur, and has been under judicial scrutiny after questions arose over the manner in which the original complaint was examined.
Kerala HC Seeks Explanation for Non-Compliance
Justice A. Badharudeen issued the latest direction after the High Court was informed that its earlier order dated July 28 had not been implemented within the stipulated period. The court had specifically directed the state authorities to reconsider the complaint after providing the complainant with an opportunity for a personal hearing.
The earlier order also made it clear that the complainant’s hearing was to be conducted independently, without the presence of Sreejith. Once the hearing was completed, the authorities were required to pass a fresh order within three weeks.
The state government subsequently sought additional time, but the latest proceedings indicate that the court was not satisfied with the manner in which its directions had been followed. The Additional Chief Secretary has therefore been asked to appear personally and explain the circumstances behind the delay.
The direction puts the focus not on the merits of the allegations at this stage, but on whether the government has followed the procedure laid down by the High Court.
Court Wants Complaint Reconsidered After Independent Hearing
The High Court’s earlier direction was aimed at ensuring that the complainant received a fair opportunity to present his case. The court had found procedural concerns with the manner in which the complaint was earlier considered and therefore ordered the authorities to undertake the process again.
The fresh exercise is expected to involve a personal hearing of Edavana, followed by a reasoned decision by the competent authority. The court’s emphasis on an independent hearing is important because the proceedings relate to allegations against a serving senior police officer, making procedural fairness particularly significant.
The government will now have to explain why the earlier directions were not implemented within the prescribed period. The Additional Chief Secretary’s personal appearance on August 20 is expected to provide the court with an explanation regarding the delay and the status of the reconsideration process.
Complaint Linked to Sreejith’s Dubai Visit
The controversy stems from Sreejith’s reported visit to Dubai in February 2026. Records placed before the High Court indicated that the officer had informed the authorities about travelling to Dubai on casual leave on February 2 and 3, taking advantage of the holiday on February 1.
The central question raised before the court, however, was not simply whether Sreejith travelled abroad while on leave. The complaint alleged that he attended the inauguration of a private business during the visit while wearing his official police uniform.
The material submitted by the complainant reportedly included a pamphlet and photographs which, according to the allegations, showed Sreejith participating in the event in police uniform. The petitioner argued that the circumstances warranted a proper examination by the competent authorities.
The High Court had earlier noted that the documents available before it did not establish that Sreejith had obtained specific permission to travel abroad for the purpose of participating in the inauguration of a private enterprise.
Court Had Earlier Observed Allegation Would Be Serious If True
The issue had already come before the Kerala High Court in April 2026. During those proceedings, the court examined the material relating to the alleged Dubai event and observed that if the allegation concerning the use of police uniform at a private event was true, it would be a serious matter.
That observation led the court to consider whether an appropriate inquiry or investigation was warranted. The case therefore moved beyond a routine administrative complaint and became a matter requiring closer scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the officer’s foreign visit and participation in the event.
At the same time, the court’s observations should not be interpreted as a finding that the allegations against Sreejith have been proved. The question of whether any misconduct actually occurred remains to be determined through the prescribed process.
Earlier Vigilance Report Was Set Aside
The latest hearing follows an earlier intervention by the Kerala High Court in July, when the court set aside a vigilance report that had effectively provided relief to Sreejith in relation to the complaint.
The court found that the complainant had not been provided an adequate opportunity to put forward his case. A particular concern was the proposal to hold a joint hearing involving both the complainant and the police officer against whom the allegations had been made.
The High Court subsequently directed the authorities to reconsider the complaint after hearing Edavana separately. The fresh process was intended to address the procedural shortcomings identified by the court and ensure that the complainant’s version was properly considered before a final decision was taken.
The government’s failure to complete that exercise within the court’s prescribed timeline has now resulted in the personal appearance direction against the Additional Chief Secretary.
Who Filed the Complaint Against Sreejith?
The complaint was filed by Dipin Edavana, an Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector associated with the Kerala Motor Vehicles Department. His petition before the High Court raised allegations concerning Sreejith’s conduct and the circumstances surrounding his foreign travel.
According to the proceedings, the complaints had been received by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) and were subsequently forwarded to the government for appropriate action.
Edavana’s challenge before the High Court essentially questioned the manner in which the authorities had dealt with the complaint. The judicial proceedings eventually resulted in directions for reconsideration, including the opportunity for the complainant to be heard separately.
The latest order therefore represents another step in that process rather than a final determination on the allegations themselves.
S. Sreejith Currently Serves as ADGP (Administration)
S. Sreejith is a senior Kerala-cadre IPS officer who currently serves as Additional Director General of Police (Administration) at Police Headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. He has held several important positions during his career, including the post of Kerala Transport Commissioner.
His current assignment places him in a senior administrative role within the state police establishment. As ADGP (Administration), he is associated with important organisational and administrative responsibilities at Police Headquarters.
The allegations under examination by the High Court relate to events during his reported foreign visit and are separate from the routine administrative responsibilities attached to his present position.
A Senior Officer With a Long Administrative Career
A 1996-batch IPS officer, Sreejith has spent several decades in the Kerala police and administrative system and has occupied a number of senior positions.
His career has included responsibilities both within the police establishment and in departments outside the conventional policing structure. His tenure as Transport Commissioner brought him into the state’s transport administration, while his subsequent responsibilities at Police Headquarters placed him back in the senior police leadership framework.
The present court proceedings are therefore being watched closely because they involve a senior serving officer and questions concerning the manner in which a complaint against him was handled by the state authorities.
Court’s Latest Order Focuses on Procedure, Not Guilt
The Kerala High Court’s latest direction is important to understand in its proper context. The court has not found S. Sreejith guilty of misconduct, nor has it concluded that the allegations concerning the Dubai event are true.
The immediate concern is the government’s compliance with the court’s earlier directions. The authorities were required to reconsider the complaint after providing the complainant with a separate and meaningful hearing, and the prescribed process was expected to be completed within the timeframe set by the court.
With the Additional Chief Secretary now directed to appear personally on August 20, the government will have to explain why the process was not completed as ordered.
The next stage will depend on the explanation placed before the court and the action taken by the state authorities on the underlying complaint. For now, the case remains centred on ensuring procedural compliance and a proper reconsideration of the allegations, rather than establishing any final finding against the senior IPS officer.
