CHENNAI: The home department on Thursday suspended Additional Superintendent of Police, Crime Records Bureau, Tiruvannamalai, S Velladurai, jeopardising his retirement from service a day later on Friday.
However, in a subsequent order on Friday, the department allowed him to retire, subject to certain conditions. Velladurai was known as an ‘encounter specialist’ and was part of the special task force that killed forest brigand Veerappan. The suspension order on Thursday said it was necessary to place the officer under suspension in public interest since a criminal prosecution was to be initiated against him in a case.
Police sources said the case was related to the alleged custodial death of ‘Kokki’ Kumar alias Kumar (26) in Sivaganga district in 2013. Kumar, wanted in a theft case, was also reportedly a close associate of Prabhu and Bharathi, who were killed in a ‘police encounter’ in 2012 when they tried to escape from custody after being arrested for their roles in the murder of sub-inspector Alwin Sudhan.
The subsequent order issued on Friday said the government permitted Velladurai to retire from service, provided a total of Rs 5 lakh is withheld from his death-cum-retirement gratuity to meet the recommendations of State Human Rights Commission in few cases involving him and subject to the outcome of the writ petitions he has filed in this regard in the high court.
‘Velladurai suspended in public interest’
The suspension order on Thursday said it was necessary to place S Velladurai under suspension in public interest since a criminal prosecution was to be initiated against him in a case