THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keeping in view the changing crime trends and to equip the Crime Branch to tackle the new-age crimes and bring professionalism into the force, it has been restructured by reshuffling 16 Crime Branch SPs. However, the reshuffle list issued by State Police Chief Loknath Behera could raise many eyebrows with regards to the posting of some officers in critical posts.
As per the government order, the existing posts of SPs of various units under Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) viz Hurt and Homicide Wing (HHW), Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Organised Crime Wing (OCW), Anti-Piracy Cell, Stats, Internal Security Investigation Team (ISIT ) are reorganised into districts and central units and the posts of SPs are re-designated.
The highlight of the restructuring is the creation of four central units (CU-I, CU-II, CU-III, CU-IV), which will handle complicated and sensitive cases and the cases pertaining to the STATS, ISIT, and anti piracy wings will be handled by the central units, of which two units will be based in Thiruvananthapuram and one each in Ernakulam and Kozhikode. The three IGS in the CB-CID will be posted in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode.
There will be 12 district Crime Branch field offices and Kollam, Kozhikode and Kannur SPs will have the additional charge of Pathanamthitta, Wayanad and Kasargod districts, respectively. The SPs will be in charge of HHW, EOW and OCW wings. Among the list of SPs issued by the state police chief, Abdul Rasheed, who was accused in a case related to attempt to murder journalist Unnithan, will handle the central unit (CU-IV), which handles the most sensitive cases along with other three CUs.
Crime branch SP K S Sudarshan, who was member of the first SIT which probed the solar scam during the UDF Government’s tenure in Thrissur and later transferred by the LDF Government, will be back in Thrissur with the new order, while former Kottayam SP Mohammed Rafeeq, who was suspended for allegedly trying to hush up the Kevin murder case, and later moved to OCW Ernakulam, will be the Crime Branch SP of Ernakulam.
Interestingly, Zacharia George, former Coastal Police AIG, was transferred to Idukki from Kottayam where he was posted hardly a week ago. Whereas, as per the reorganisation order issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Vigilance) Subrata Biswas, Ernakulam SP (OCW) was to be transferred to Idukki. As per the GO, the re-designated SPs should assume charges with immediate effect to ensure the smooth functioning of the CB offices from November 1.