THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police headquarters IG Dinendra Kashyap is likely to be offered the post of Thiruvananthapuram city police commissioner to placate him from leaving the state on Central deputation. The officer, who was earlier part of the CBI team that investigated several high-profile cases including the corruption case against former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, had expressed interest to move back to the premier investigating agency on deputation.
The CBI top brass was also keen to re-induct him and the final hurdle before Kashyap was a nod from the state Home Department. However, troubled by the lacunae of good officers, the higher-ups of the department and the police were against relieving him. Highly-placed sources told Express that it in order to persuade him from leaving the state, the post of Thiruvananthapuram city commissioner would be offered to him.
“We have a real shortage of officers. Quality-wise and quantity-wise. We cannot allow capable officers to leave the state now,” a senior Home Department officer told Express. “The CBI wants him. And we badly need him to stay. He is a non-cntroversial officer and has got an impeccable track record. To convince him to stay, he might be offered the city commissioner’s post,” the source said.
The shortage of IPS officers has been plaguing the state for some time. Though the sanctioned cadre strength for the state is 172, the Police Department is short of about 70 officers. As per the IPS civil list of 2018 which is the latest, the total number of IPS officers in service was 111.
Of this, about 16 officers were on Central deputation while around 15 officers have retired since January 2018 - that was when the list was published. It’s in this context the Home Department has tightened its screws on relieving officers to Central deputation.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer said some of the officers from other states are not too keen to work in Kerala due to various factors, including severe political interference, and hence opt to relocate. “They at times are bogged down by the political pressure from various corners here that they tend to feel working in Central units are more advantageous,” the officer said.