<p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's security was stepped up in view of the mounting protests demanding his resignation.</p>.<p>BJP and Congress workers waved black flags at the Chief Minister at a couple of places on Saturday.</p>.<p>Restrictions were allegedly imposed on wearing black masks at venues of the Chief Minister's public functions to avert chances of waving the black flags at him by political parties. At some venues, alternative masks were reported to be provided to those who turned up in black masks. Two transgender persons who turned up for a function in Kochi were prevented from entering the venue. As they staged a protest, the police took them into custody.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the chief minister said that he would not get scared by the protests and baseless allegations.</p>.<p id="thickbox_headline"><strong>Kerala govt shunts Vigilance Director M R Ajith Kumar following controversy</strong></p>.<p>The government also transferred Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director M R Ajith Kumar, hours after a gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh claimed an acquaintance of her had spoken to a senior police officer help to her.</p>.<p>IPS officer H Venkatesh, Inspector General of Police, Vigilance (Headquarters), will have the full additional charge of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau until further orders, govt said.</p>.<p>Smuggling accused Swapna had alleged that Ajithkumar was in constant touch with one Shaj Kiran, who allegedly tried to threaten and mediate with her after she raised currency smuggling allegation against the chief minister.</p>.<p>Vigilance action against Suresh's accomplice and another accused in the UAE consulate-linked smuggling cases, Sarith, by taking him into custody and seizing his mobile phone a day after the Suresh raised smuggling allegation against the Chief Minister had also caused much damage to the government. Even as vigilance sources said that the action on Sarith pertained to a pending vigilance case, it was widely believed to be a vindictive action of the government.</p>.<p>These were said to be the reasons for transferring Ajithkumar from the Vigilance.</p>.<p>The opposition Congress alleged that the government was trying to make the police officer a scape goat.</p>.<p>Protests against Vijayan mounted further after an audio conversation, said to be by the alleged mediator Shaj Kiran, stating that Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan were routing their funds to America through the Believers Church of India. Swapna Suresh released a set of her audio conversations with Kiran on Friday.</p>.<p>Kiran sent a petition to the police alleging that Suresh was trying to trap him by raising baseless allegations by editing an audio conversation.</p>
<p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's security was stepped up in view of the mounting protests demanding his resignation.</p>.<p>BJP and Congress workers waved black flags at the Chief Minister at a couple of places on Saturday.</p>.<p>Restrictions were allegedly imposed on wearing black masks at venues of the Chief Minister's public functions to avert chances of waving the black flags at him by political parties. At some venues, alternative masks were reported to be provided to those who turned up in black masks. Two transgender persons who turned up for a function in Kochi were prevented from entering the venue. As they staged a protest, the police took them into custody.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the chief minister said that he would not get scared by the protests and baseless allegations.</p>.<p id="thickbox_headline"><strong>Kerala govt shunts Vigilance Director M R Ajith Kumar following controversy</strong></p>.<p>The government also transferred Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director M R Ajith Kumar, hours after a gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh claimed an acquaintance of her had spoken to a senior police officer help to her.</p>.<p>IPS officer H Venkatesh, Inspector General of Police, Vigilance (Headquarters), will have the full additional charge of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau until further orders, govt said.</p>.<p>Smuggling accused Swapna had alleged that Ajithkumar was in constant touch with one Shaj Kiran, who allegedly tried to threaten and mediate with her after she raised currency smuggling allegation against the chief minister.</p>.<p>Vigilance action against Suresh's accomplice and another accused in the UAE consulate-linked smuggling cases, Sarith, by taking him into custody and seizing his mobile phone a day after the Suresh raised smuggling allegation against the Chief Minister had also caused much damage to the government. Even as vigilance sources said that the action on Sarith pertained to a pending vigilance case, it was widely believed to be a vindictive action of the government.</p>.<p>These were said to be the reasons for transferring Ajithkumar from the Vigilance.</p>.<p>The opposition Congress alleged that the government was trying to make the police officer a scape goat.</p>.<p>Protests against Vijayan mounted further after an audio conversation, said to be by the alleged mediator Shaj Kiran, stating that Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan were routing their funds to America through the Believers Church of India. Swapna Suresh released a set of her audio conversations with Kiran on Friday.</p>.<p>Kiran sent a petition to the police alleging that Suresh was trying to trap him by raising baseless allegations by editing an audio conversation.</p>
