THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Controversial IPS officer Tomin J Thachankary has been appointed as Crime Branch ADGP, a post which Intelligence chief T K Vinod Kumar has been holding as additional charge. An officer of the 1987 batch, Thachankary has been functioning as Armed Police Battalion ADGP after his unceremonious exit as KSRTC Managing Director earlier this year.
The appointment of Thachankary, who is considered to be close to the ruling dispensation, to the post signals his rise to the limelight once again. The Crime Branch ADGP post has been literally lying vacant ever since incumbent Sheikh Darwesh Sahib was transferred to the newly created post of Law and Order ADGP. Though Vinod was given additional charge of Crime Branch, it did not yield much results as he was busy handling the intelligence apparatus.
In fact, the most coveted post held by Thachankary so far was that of the Headquarters ADGP when T P Senkumar was DGP. However, a spat between the two resulted in Thachankary’s exit from the nerve-centre of the police activities. Senkumar had alleged that Tomin had removed adverse files against him from the ‘T’ branch- the most confidential wing of the Police Department. Thachankary had termed the allegation baseless and added there were ‘T’ branch files on several police officers, including Senkumar.
There were several allegations against Thachankary, such as corruption charges and unauthorised foreign trips that landed him in the soup before. Thachankary’s return to the Police Headquarters, where the Crime Branch office is also located, heralds the rise in stature of the officer, said another senior police officer of ADGP rank. Anti-Naxal Terror Squad SP Chaithra Teresa John has been given full additional charge of India Reserve Battalion Commandant. Divya V Gopinath has been given full additional charge as Commandant of Women’s Battalion.
Back in the thick of things
Appointment of Tomin J Thachankary, considered close to the government, to the key post signals his rise to the limelight once again. The post has been lying vacant since Sheikh Darwesh Sahib was made Law and Order ADGP.