Days after TP Senkumar reassumed office as the Kerala DGP, he has been hit by another controversy. A police officer has alleged that she was transferred prematurely by the State Police Chief as an act of vendetta.
TP Senkumar took over on Saturday, after the Supreme Court asked the Kerala government to reinstate the officer who was "unfairly" replaced in May 2016. The officer, who was replaced just after the Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power, had alleged that the LDF government replaced him in an act of vendetta.
Now, another police officer, VN Kumari Junior Superintendent, Confidential Section, has come out with a similar allegation, but this time against DGP Senkumar.
On Wednesday, Kumari Beena wrote to the Additional Chief Secretary of the state, alleging that she was transferred out of the department on Tuesday, just 11 months after she assumed office.
This was in violation of a Government Order (GO) issued in February 2017, which states that a police officer cannot be transferred out before he/she completes a 3-year-term.
The only exception to this rule is when it is a disciplinary action, a vigilance inquiry, or the officer is transferred on humanitarian grounds.
Saying that her untimely transfer has caused her immense pain and mental harassment, Kumari Beena goes on to allege:
I suspect that the present SPC (State Police Chief) is acting in vengeance since I had legally denied information on his RTI application seeking information on Puttingal and Jisha cases. He has issued the order only days after assuming office. I am even compelled to wonder whether it is a fault to work honestly, according to the orders of one’s superiors.
The officer has sought for the decision to be reconsidered.
In her two-page complaint, Kumari Beena wrote:
I joined the service in 1995 and have completed 22 years of service. Based on a GO dated 23/06/2016, I was posted in the police headquarters. According to this, I have been posted at this office for only 11 months. All of a sudden, on 9 May, I was transferred out.
TP Senkumar had waged an almost year-long battle against the state government for replacing him before his tenure came to an end.
The government had claimed inefficiency on the part of the officer with regard to the investigations into Puttingal temple tragedy and Jisha murder case as the reason for replacing the top cop.
The apex court had on 28 April asked the Kerala state government to reinstate the officer, following which, he assumed office on Saturday.
(This piece has been published in arrangement with The News Minute)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)