Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan found himself in an inopportune setting on Monday, following the Supreme Court order asking the State government to reinstate ousted State Police Chief (SPC) T.P. Senkumar.
His meeting of police officers in the Kannur range was scheduled at the Chamber Hall here at 12 noon on Monday and police officers from the northern districts were in attendance at the hall before his arrival. Among those present were top police officers, including incumbent SPC Loknath Behera, who might lose the post if the government decides to comply with the apex court’s order.
On the Supreme Court’s verdict to reinstate Mr. Senkumar as DGP, the Chief Minister told waiting reporters outside the venue that the government would do whatever it can do legally to comply with the court order after receiving the copy of the judgment. In his brief response, he said that only part of the verdict had come and that the copy of the verdict was expected by the evening. “After receiving the copy of the judgment, the government will do whatever it can do legally,” he said. “It is the order of the apex court and our country has rule of law,” he said.
“The government will naturally take administrative decisions, while the courts will decide on legal matters involved in such decisions,” he said.
Mr. Behera refused to comment on the Supreme Court order. Asked at the venue if he had to give up the post of the DGP in the wake of the Supreme Court order, he said he did not want to comment. “I am a government servant,” he added.
Among the top police officers present at the meeting were DGP (Intelligence) B.S. Mohammed Yasin, Additional Director General of Police (North Zone) Rajesh Diwan, Advisor to the Chief Minister on police Raman Srivastava, and Inspector General of Police (Kannur range) Mahipal Yadav.
