Allegations against Thachankary are serious: HC pulls up Pinarayi govt
- The High Court observed that the allegations against Tomin J Thachankary were serious in nature
- The HC bench pointed out that the actions of the government has been called into question
- People holding high public office should not have controversial credentials, the court stressed
- While DGP TP Senkumar is in a stand-off with the LDF government, Thachankary is its blue-eyed boy
FollowThe Kerala High Court has directed the state government to file a detailed statement providing answers to all the allegations against Additional Director General of Police Tomin J Thachankary.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Navniti Prasad Singh and Justice Satish Ninan observed on Thursday that the allegations against the ADGP, raised in a writ petition, were serious in nature, according to a PTI report.
The observation was made while considering the petition by Jose Thomas of Alappuzha against mass transfer of top police officers after the reinstatement of TP Senkumar as state police chief pursuant to a Supreme Court verdict.
Also read: Kerala caught in the crossfire as top cops battle for DGP post
The petitioner also challenged the validity of the appointment of Thachankary, as ADGP of police headquarters. While Senkumar has been in a stand-off with the Pinarayi Vijayan government, Thachankary is its blue-eyed boy.
Considering the petition earlier, the court had directed the government to respond to the charges against Thachankary. However, when the case was taken up on Thursday, 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.
Also read: Was Thachankary posted as ADGP to track Senkumar's moves? HC asks govt
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 at police headquarters, pointing out that there were criminal cases as well as departmental proceedings against the officer.
The Advocate General responded 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. But the court pointed out that the actions of the government has been called into question on the ground that people holding high public office should not have controversial credentials.
