File detailed statement on charges against ADGP: HC to Kerala

The Kerala High Court today directed the state government to file a detailed statement providing answers to all the allegations against Additional Director General of Police Tomin J Thachenkary.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Navniti Prasad Singh and Justice Satish Ninan observed that the allegations against the ADGP, police headquarters, raised in a writ petition, were serious in nature.
The observation was made while considering the petition by Jose Thomas of Alappuzha against mass transfer of top police officers after the reinstatement of T P Senkumar as state police chief pursuant to a Supreme Court verdict.
The petitioner also challenged the validity of the appointment of Thachenkary, as ADGP of police headquarters.

Considering the petition earlier, the court had directed the government to respond to the charges against Thachenkary.
However, when the case was taken up today, the Advocate General sought some more time to file the statement.

The bench responded to it, saying "are you waiting for June 30" to file the statement.
June 30 is the date on which Senkumar retires as the state police chief.
The court also pointed out that the actions of the government had been called into question on the ground that people holding high public office should not have controversial credentials.
The AG pointed out that the petition was not maintainable as it was a service matter and it was the state government's prerogative to appoint a person to a public post.

In his petition, Thomas submitted that the mass transfers of police officers were carried out to keep a tab on Senkumar who was reinstated following the Supreme Court order.
He also challenged the validity of the appointment of Thachankary as ADGP-police headquarters, pointing out that there were criminal cases as well as departmental proceedings against the officer.