THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Former Kerala police chief T P Senkumar was arrested by the police on Saturday in a case registered for making alleged communal remarks. However, police let off its former chief after recording his statement. This is the first time that a former police chief was arrested in the state.
Police registered a criminal case against Senkumar over his alleged remarks on "high birth rate of Muslim community" in an interview with a weekly magazine, a sister publication of the New Indian Express. The case registered by the cyber crime police station charged the retired officer under IPC Section 153 (A) for promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion.
Earlier, the Kerala High Court had granted anticipatory bail to Senkumar in connection with the case. The court had then directed that the officer if arrested, should be released on bail on executing a bond of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties for the like sum.
Reportedly, Senkumar told the investigating officer that he stated some statistics which were not intended to insult any community. His comments were in reply to some queries by the reporter. Also, the officer said it was a friendly chat and not an interview. The conversation was recorded without his knowledge or consent, he said.