Ex-Kerala DGP challenges his transfer in SC, alleges vendetta

Former Kerala Police chief T P Senkumar has moved the Supreme Court against a High Court order dismissing his appeal against his transfer from the post of DGP, saying it was a clear case of "political vendetta".
The top cop has filed the appeal against the Kerala High Court's verdict that had upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) order.
The CAT had not found any fault with the decision of the LDF government's 2016 decision to transfer Senkumar from the post of Director General of Police to the post of chairman and managing director of Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation.

Senkumar, in his appeal, has blamed his transfer as an act of political vendetta as he had probed various political murders involving the ruling party.
"The High Court failed to take into consideration the fact that in a prominent murder case of 2012, where a local leader T P Chandrashekharan was killed wherein after investigation, helped by the petitioner, as ADGP, several party members and leaders of the political party forming the present government were held guilty and therein sentenced to imprisonment.
"That also in 2012, in yet another murder case of Ariyil Shukoor, a local leader, certain members and leaders of the political party forming the present government of the state were named as accused persons. The investigation was helped by the petitioner also," Senkumar said in his petition.

"As a result of political vendetta against the petitioner, the respondent state has therefore taken the present decision to remove the petitioner from the post of the state police chief," he added.

In his petition, Senkumar also pointed out that a DGP must serve a tenure of a minimum of 2 years regardless of his age of retirement. "The petitioner has served one year and has another year remaining to complete his tenure," it said.
The senior police officer, in his plea, said "The High Court erred in not considering the fact that the petitioner is an officer with an impeccable history and outstanding record ... To remove such an officer on flimsy and arbitary grounds, as was done so by the state is a clear case of political vendetaa and personal malafides."

Senkumar was transferred on the ground of his alleged inaction in the infamous Jisha murder case and Puttingal fire works tragedy.