Kerala IPS officer Tomin Thachankary removed following B'day bash row

Controversial IPS officer Tomin J Thachankary has been removed from the post of Kerala Transport Commissioner on Friday.

 The immediate reason for Thachankary’s unceremonious removal is a recent circular directing RTO officers to celebrate his birthday across the state. Besides, he was not in the good book of Transport Minister AK Saseendran, who had reportedly complained to the Chief Minister that the officer was creating problems for the department. ADGP Ananthakrishnan will be the new Transport Commissioner.
 

Read more: Kerala Transport Commissioner's b'day bash turns bitter
 

When the cabinet convened on Friday morning Transport Minister AK Saseendran  demanded the removal of the Transport Commissioner. The minister was unhappy with the IPS officer after the latter announced a controversial 'no-helmet, no petrol' project to encourage motorists to wear helmet. The project was shelved after the minister publicly opposed to it.


Coming out of the cabinet meeting, Minister Saseendran said that the officer's removal was long overdue. He also chose to distance the government decision from recent controversies. "It is a usual procedure that  top officials get shifted when a new government takes charge," he said. 

 

Again, Thachankary hit headlines by ordering removal of beacon lights and flags from the vehicles of top bureaucrats. He also wanted all the vehicles, including the state cars to display registration number.
 

The minister was apparently miffed over these unilateral announcements by the commissioner.  In a latest row, the commissioner celebrated his birthday in style by distributing sweets in all Road Transport Offices across the state. He also issued a circular directing the officials to celebrate his birthday with sweets. The minister had directed the Chief Secretary to look into the birthday bash and to check whether it went against the service norms. The leaders of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had also demanded the removal of  the officer.   

 
Controversies are not new to this senior IPS officer who faced disciplinary action during the UDF government in a land deal. He was also alleged to have amassed wealth above his known sources of income and for making frequent trips abroad without seeking permission from the government as per rules. He had also come under scanner for allegedly smuggling in electronic equipment.    

• Tomin Thachankary
• Kerala Transport Commissioner
• AK Saseendran