THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the race for the State Police Chief's (SPC) post moves into the final lap, all eyes are now fixed on the fate of the criminal case involving the daughter of DGP Sudesh Kumar.
The Crime Branch had recently decided to refer the case - relating to the daughter allegedly assaulting Kumar's driver who was on official duty - to State Police Chief Loknath Behera for a final decision on the matter. If the SPC clears the chargesheet, Kumar's chances will suffer a setback.
Kumar, the vigilance director, and Tomin Thachankary, the managing director of the Kerala Financial Corporation, are the frontrunners to become the next SPC. The post is set to fall vacant on June 30 when Behera retires.
Though Prisons DGP Rishiraj Singh is the most senior officer, he will not be considered for the post as he superannuates in July. The state government has already forwarded a list of senior officers to be considered for the post to the Centre. The Union government will shortlist three names and revert to the state government later this month.
Thachankary too is facing a hurdle. A disproportionate assets case, in which the chargesheet has been submitted, is pending at the Vigilance Court in Kottayam against Thachankary. In an extraordinary move, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Vigilance) TK Jose had ordered a fresh vigilance probe into the case in January following a complaint by Thachankary alleging lapses in the earlier investigation.
It is learnt a special vigilance investigation report is getting final shape. If the report acquits Thachankary, it will be a shot in the arm for the officer to stake a claim for the SPC’s post.
Meanwhile, sources in the police said the Crime Branch's move to refer the case relating to Kumar’s daughter to the State Police Chief is a clear violation of an earlier circular. Issued in 2019 by the State Police Chief, it has clearly categorised the nature of cases to be scrutinised and disposed of by the Crime Branch ADGP, IGs and unit SPs.
‘Dilly-dallying by CB on chargesheet filing may affect Kumar’s chances’
Going by the circular, the case relating to Kumar’s daughter is to be disposed of by the Crime Branch SP, considering the nature of charges levelled against her.But, instead of submitting a chargesheet in the case registered in 2018, the case has been referred to Addl DGP (Crimes) by the Crime Branch SP who investigated the case and the ADGP reportedly sought SPC's opinion.
As per the circular, only cases related to murder, custodial death, personal investigation cases entrusted with officers of and above the rank of SP, sensitive cases involving state/central ministers, all-India service officers and MLAs and MPs, UAPA cases, cognisable offences registered against police officers of and above the rank of SP, police encounter cases, and any case directed specifically by the court/government/SPC to be investigated/supervised personally by the ADGP are to scrutinised and disposed of by the ADGP.
In this particular case, IPC Sections 324, 332 and 294-B were invoked against the accused woman. The case does not require a referral to the Crime Branch ADGP or the SPC. According to a senior police officer, it is being used as a tool to dent the prospects of the contender to the top post.
The dilly-dallying by the Crime Branch(CB) regarding the filing of a chargesheet in the case, which could have been settled by the court in two or three months, could possibly affect Kumar’s chances.
It is not a secret that the senior IPS officers in the state are vertically split into two groups favouring Kumar and Thachankary as the next State Police Chief. A section, mostly comprising north Indian officers, favours Kumar though Thachankary is the senior of the two.
Thachankary, Kumar and Special Protection Group (SPG) Director Arun Kumar Sinha, who is on central deputation, are 1987 batch IPS officers. Of them, Sinha is the most senior but he is unlikely to return to Kerala.
Tale of two cases
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