KOCHI: After the Jacob Thomas and Vinson M Paul muddle, the ham-handed approach of the state government has resulted in a bureaucratic impasse, putting it in a tight spot.
The reshuffling of the posts of senior IPS officers, denying due position to DG rank officers and posting a junior officer as Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) chief, which is a DG-cadre post, has irked the IPS officers in the state.
The appointment of an ADGP rank officer to the DG cadre post of VACB Chief will affect the salary structure of the two DG rank officers, though they are holding non-cadre DG posts as DG (Prisons) and DG (Fire and Rescue Services).
According to the rules, the government can create only additional non-DG cadre post after filling the DG cadre posts with DG rank officers.
By appointing an ADGP rank officer to DG cadre post, the validity of the other two non-cadre DG posts has been nullified and the DG rank officer holding the post will not get the salary of the DG-cadre post. While the two DG rank officers - Loknath Behera and Rishiraj Singh - were available, the post of VACB chief was given to Shanker Reddy, who has ADGP rank. Apart from the VACB chief, the only other DG cadre post is state police chief (Law and Order), which is held by DGP T P Sen Kumar.
The reshuffle has come at a time when two senior officers - Jacob Thomas and Anil Kant -who were in the post of Fire and Rescue Services Commandant General have taken a tough stand against the illegal construction of high-rise buildings in the state. According to senior officers, both Rishiraj Singh and Behera have enough experience to be the VACB chief.
“We don’t know why an ADGP rank officer has been given the DG-cadre posting. The government has taken such a decision to appease certain power corridors,” the officers said.
They said the government has taken such a step because posting officers of the calibre of Rishiraj Singh and Behera as VACB chief would be suicidal for the government considering some recent developments.
“This is really a bad practice. It is not fair and professional practice for the government to frequently change the post of senior officers. It will affect the overall functioning of the department,” said former RAW Chief Hormis Tharakan.
Shakeup in Top Police Brass
T’Puram: The government on Tuesday effected a major reshuffle in the police top brass. Prisons DGP Loknath Behera was transferred and posted as Fire and Rescue Services Commandant General. Rishiraj Singh who was promoted to DGP rank on Monday is the new Prisons DGP. Fire brigade chief ADGP Anil Kant was transferred and posted as ADGP Battalion. ADGP Shanker Reddy will hold the charge of Vigilance chief, previously occupied by DGP Vinson M Paul who retired on Monday.