In an escalation of the feud within the Kerala police headquarters (PHQ), State Police Chief T.P. Senkumar has moved the government to investigate Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters (HQ), Tomin J. Thachankary, “for felonious actions and fomenting indiscipline in the force.”
Mr. Senkumar’s demand communicated to the government through Chief Secretary Nalini Netto last week is widely seen as a response to Mr. Thachankary’s earlier demand that SPC be investigated for verbal abuse and for preventing him from discharging his duty, both offences under the Indian Penal Code.
Allegations denied
Official sources said that Mr. Senkumar has emphatically denied Mr. Thachankary’s allegations.
The SPC wrote that he had put Mr. Thachankary on notice that he did not want the ADGP-HQ interfering in matters outside his domain, such as law and order.
Ship-boat collision
Mr. Senkumar was particularly miffed that Mr. Thachankary, who had no role in the investigation, had briefed the media about the Kochi ship-boat collision on June 6.
Mr. Senkumar “had received” information that Mr. Thachankary was undermining the SPC’s office by insinuating that the ADGP-HQ was the government’s nominee at the PHQ and only his writ should run in the police.
Subsequently, Mr. Senkumar summoned Mr. Thachankary to his office and warned him firmly in the presence of the Inspector General of Police, HQ, to stop instigating indiscipline and acting illegally or else he (SPC) would be constrained to “send reports against him (Thachankary)” to the State and Central governments. There was no abuse or manhandling.
‘Disproportionate assets’
Mr. Senkumar told the government that Mr. Thachankary was facing trial in a disproportionate assets case. The officer faced the most number of inquiries in the force.
The SPC accused Mr. Thachankary of “knowing little” about the police and charged that his continuation at the PHQ would undermine the discipline of the force. He “could not allow that as SPC,” Mr. Senkumar said.