Vigilance officers carried out an inspection at the residence of CPM councillor Ajin S in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday following bribery allegations. Ajin, who represents the Thrikannapuram ward in the city corporation, faced official action after recordings surfaced showing him demanding a bribe of Rs 10 lakhs from a local landowner. The leaked visuals and threatening phone conversations have placed the party on the defensive.

Land conversion offer and threat of protests

The case centres on nineteen cents of land purchased at MLA Road in Thirumala village by Peyad resident Sanju, who divided the plot for resale. When initial construction work began, the councillor allegedly intervened and demanded moneyy to resolve alleged puramboke land (government-owned unassessed land) issues and facilitate land reclassification. Ajin offered to help register nearby government land in exchange for the payment. He reportedly warned the buyer that failure to pay would lead to protests and the planting of flags on the property by DYFI (CPM youth outfit) workers.

Sanju lodged official complaints with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and the City Police Commissioner, claiming he had cleared all liabilities before purchasing the property. He released the audio and video after the councillor continued pushing demands and filing complaints with government offices. However, Ajin denied all charges, claiming the recordings were fabricated and edited to discredit his efforts against the unlawful commercial exploitation of government land.

Political backlash and inquiry orders

The ruling-BJP stepped up its demand for the councillor's resignation. BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on social media that party leaders were abusing power to loot citizens, requesting Mayor V.V. Rajesh to convene an immediate council debate to examine the footage. Mayor V.V. Rajesh confirmed that the corporation is examining legal aspects before deciding on a formal complaint. UDF leader K.S. Sabarinadhan noted that the charges are grave enough to breach public trust and attract provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and the Kerala Municipality Act 1994. Meanwhile, CPM state Secretary M.V. Govindan announced that the party's district committee will conduct an internal inquiry into the matter.