CHENNAI: The State government on Friday appointed T K Rajendran as chief of the state police just on the day he was scheduled to retire.
By virtue of a Supreme Court’s verdict that guarantees two-year fixed tenure for the police chiefs, Rajendran would be the second officer to serve as the head of the state police force until he turns 62.
Rajendran was already holding the post of DGP (L&O) as an additional charge since last September when he was appointed as DGP (Intelligence).
Sources said the note signed by the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami pointed out to Rajendran’s long service in law and order wing to justify his selection among the six other DGP cadre officers empanelled by Union Public Service Commission.
Sources said Rajendran took charge as DGP (Head of police force) late in the night.
Rajendran, a native of Olaipadi village in Tiruvannamalai district, belongs to the 1984 batch IPS. He began his IPS career as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Tiruchy in 1987, before being posted as SP of Sivaganga district. He had been DIG in Tirunelveli, IG (South Zone) and Additional Commissioner in Chennai before being appointed the Commissioner.
Rajendran was appointed DGP (Intelligence) last September and was holding additional responsibility as DGP(L&O) for last nearly 10 months.
As he had completed 60 years this month, he was supposed to retire on June 30, Friday. But the last minute order of the State government would mean Rajendran was the second such DGP appointed to the police force on the verge of their retirement.
Former DGP K Ramanujam was also similarly appointed as head of the police force with just 25 more days left for his retirement and thus served almost two additional years in police.
Meanwhile, a statement from Opposition leader M K Stalin criticised the appointment of Rajendran as DGP since he is believed to have been indicted by the Income Tax department for allegedly receiving bribes from Chennai-based cartels selling gutka during his tenure as city police commissioner last year.