Five policemen, including three assistant sub inspectors and two civil police officers, in the district were placed under suspension after a preliminary investigation found them guilty of having violated government service rules and the Kerala Police Act after a picture of them honouring the Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala with a shawl emerged on the social media on Friday.
Four of them, three assistant sub inspectors and a civil police officer, were reportedly office bearers of the Kerala Police Association (KPA) in the district during the term of the previous United Democratic Front government. While two were treasurers of the city and rural wings of the association, the other two were executive committee members.
“They were placed under suspension after a preliminary inquiry report found them guilty of having violated the code of conduct. A detailed probe will follow,” said C.H. Nagaraju, District Police Chief, (Kochi City).
The cops had reportedly met Mr. Chennithala, who was in the city in the course of his State-wide march, Aishwarya Kerala Yatra, on Thursday night. The image, however, got leaked on Friday morning after the junior-most member of the group posted it in his training batch’s WhatsApp group. Soon, it went around various social media groups of the police across the State and kicked up a row. It is learned that the action was based on a report by the Special Branch.
Though elections to police associations are fought on political affiliations, cops are not supposed to openly identify themselves with political parties or leaders as it violates the service rules and provisions of the Kerala Police Act.
The group fight among the cops owing allegiance to the Congress also reportedly played a part in kicking up the controversy. The ones who met Mr. Chennithala are learned to be with the ‘I’ faction and those supporting the rival ‘A’ group made sure that it didn’t go unnoticed, sources said.
