No Discontent Among Top Police Officers in Kerala: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Kerala government today rejected CPI(M) led LDF's allegation that there was discontent among top police officers after a recent reshuffle saying it was the government's prerogative to appoint an officer in a particular post.

Both Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said in the assembly that government acted as per rules and there was no problem in the police force.

Replying to a notice for an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition on alleged disarray in the police force, Chennithala made it clear that 'no officer can dictate to government that he or she should be given a particular post'.

Justifying the recent postings of DGP Rishiraj Singh as Prison Director and DGP Loknath Behera as Director of Fire and Rescue Service, he said transfers were made as per service rules and there was nothing unprecedented in it.

Chennithala said government has no intention to politicise the police force and rejected the charge that these officers were shifted as they failed to obey the government diktat.

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The Opposition said it was the first time in the history of Kerala that top two police officers have gone on leave without accepting the orders of the State Home Ministry.

It was reported that Singh and Behera had gone on leave as they were not happy with their new postings.

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Seeking leave for the motion, P Sreeramakrishnan (CPI-M) said not only were these officers posted to a lower position, but an ADGP rank Officer N Shanker Reddy was posted as State Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau Director.

"It is ridiculous that an ADGP rank officer is heading the Vigilance when DGP rank officials were given much lower positions," he pointed out.

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Chennithala also came down on Behera's reported statement that he should be posted as Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.

On the scheduled meeting of IPS' association, he said there was nothing wrong in it. Government was ready to look into the complaints of Officers, if any. But it was the government's right to decide the postings, he added.

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Opposition also alleged IPS officer DGP Jacob Thomas was shifted from the post of Additional Director of Vigilance and as Director of Fire and Rescue and shunted to an insignificant post of Managing Director of State Police Housing Corporation, as he turned out to be a 'thorn in the eye of the government'.

After replies of the CM and Home Minister, Speaker N Sakthan refused leave for the motion, leading to a walkout by LDF Opposition members.

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Before staging a walkout, CPI-M veteran and leader of the Opposition VS Achuthanandan alleged that law and order has come to a standstill due to dissatisfaction among top police officers.