Mullappally Ramachandran firm on SPC comment

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran is firm in his earlier comment on DGP Loknath Behera getting the post as a favour from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, he demanded to know from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on why four senior officers were sidelined and handpicked Mr Behera as the Kerala DGP.

He said Mr Behera was appointed without checking his antecedents. Already, he had apprised the AICC leadership that the Behera issue should be taken up at the national level.

He said it was mysterious why Mr Behera was appointed when there were seniors above him. He also demanded to know why the National Investigation Agency removed him.

"I can say that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan appointed Mr Behera without heeding the CPM central leadership. Hence he owes an explanation. When Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was the home minister, he had brought an amendment that a DGP should not be removed from office for at least two years. Even that was not followed," he said.

He made the speech in Vatakara on Saturday at the Youth League Yuvajana Yathra raising the serious allegations.

The said Mr Behera helped Mr Modi and BJP president Amit Shah in Ishrat Jahan 'fake encounter' case.

When he was with the NIA, he prepared a report, giving the due a clean chit.

"I had the opportunity to see that file personally when I was the minister of state for home affairs. Mr Behera's appointment as the state police chief is a reward for this help. It was Mr Modi who recommended him to his dear chief minister," he alleged.

But Mr Vijayan rubbished the claim on Monday and questioned what prevented him from taking action based on the files then.