Senkumar files statement before CAT

Senior IPS officer T P Senkumar todayfiled a statement before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) rejecting Kerala government's submission that the stand adopted by him in cases related to Puttingal temple fireworks tragedy and murder of a Dalit woman in Perumbavoor lowered the status of police.
The rejoinder submission was made during the hearing on a petition by Senkumar challenging his removal as state police chief by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government. Senkumar said that he, as the State Police chief, had taken a "very difficult and effective role" in investigating the murder case in Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district and the temple fireworks tragedy in Puttingal in Kollam district.

He said such allegations are "only belated attempt" by the present state government to "cook up some false stories" against him even disregarding the fact that the then Congress-led UDF government did not find anything wrong in the investigations.
The then government upto May 24 this year had never levelled any of the allegations now raised to justify activities under Section 97(2)(e) of Kerala Police Act, he said.
In a top-level reshuffle on May 31 after taking the reins of the state following the assembly elections, the LDF government had shifted Senkumar and appointed Loknath Behara in his place.
In his petition, Senkumar has contended that the decision appointing him as Chairman and Managing Director of Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation on deputation was illegal.

He also said that as per Section 97(1) of Kerala Police Act and in the light of the Supreme Court ruling in the Prakash Singh case, the tenure of the DGP was for two years.
The state government had informed the Tribunal that the stand adopted by Senkumar in cases related to Puttingal temple fireworks tragedy in Kollam on April 10 and murder of a Dalit woman in Perumbavoor in April 28 lowered the status of police.