THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government on Wednesday appointed senior IPS officer Tomin Thachankary as DGP of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) after notifying it as an ex-cadre post equivalent to the status of Vigilance Director. The move assumes significance as Thachankary has been named as one of the probables for the post of the State Police Chief. Thachankary and Vigilance Director Sudhesh Kumar are among the 12 names that have been included in the list that the state government has forwarded to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Sudhesh Kumar is already an ex-cadre DGP.
The 1987-batch officer was working as the Managing Director of Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC) on deputation and his return to the home department as Chief Investigation Officer in the SHRC is interpreted as the state government’s endorsement of his claim to the top cop’s post.
Sources said in certain states there has been a tradition of appointing the State Police Chief from those officers who are functioning in key police posts. “Thachankary was on deputation in the KFC and by giving him a police job again the state government is indicating where its heart is lying when it comes to the appointment of the police chief,” said a government source.
The source added that if there is a time gap between retirement of incumbent police chief Loknath Behera and appointment of the new chief, Thachankary could be an automatic choice for the government to be given additional charge as DGP till a fresh appointment is made.
Protocols mandate that the state government should send the list of Police Chief probables to the UPSC three months before the retirement of the incumbent officer. Kerala should have ideally sent it by April, but they delayed it.
“In that scenario, if the appointment of the next chief gets delayed, Thachankary might get that additional charge as he is handling a post in SHRC which does not entail heavy workload,” the sources added.
However, the state government has minimal say in the appointment of the Police Chief as it can only name one of the officers from among three names that have been shortlisted by the UPSC.