Kerala IPS Officer Faces Probe For Midnight Raid At CPM Office

Thiruvananthapuram: A senior police officer in Kerala faced investigation after she raided the office of the ruling CPM in Thiruvananthapuram. Chaitra Teresa John was also at the receiving end of criticism from the chief minister who slammed her for the searches.

Chaitra Teresa John was later cleared after an internal probe found that she did not commit any error, top police sources said.

The Left government ordered a departmental probe against her after she came to the CPM office in the state capital at midnight on January 24 in search of some accused in a case.

A police team, led by Ms John, had come to look for several leaders of the DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India), the youth wing of the CPM. The youth-wing leaders were reportedly involved in the alleged stone-throwing at a police station in the city, following which a probe had been ordered against her, based on the complaint of the party district leaders.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said such raids were not usually carried out at the party offices in the state. The Kerala police chief was instructed to launched to conduct an investigation.

"Some vested interests have an inclination to tarnish the image of those in politics and there have been occasions when some people have fallen for such tendencies. A democratic society can go forward only after rectifying such outlooks," Mr Vijayan was quoted as saying in the state assembly on Monday.

"When the responsible leaders of political parties lodge complaints, it's the duty of the government to look it into it seriously," he said.