T P Senkumar in no mood to give up

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State police chief T.P. Senkumar is understood to be weighing legal options to fight the government’s decision to allow an officer in the rank of superintendent of police to move legally against him even as resentment is brewing in the police top brass against the decision saying it set a bad precedent. A section in the police brass strongly feels the government was unfair in taking the decision without seeking Mr. Senkumar's response, that too on a remark he made in the annual confidential report of assistant inspector general Mr. Gopalakrishnan in 2006.

Mr. Senkumar, while serving as IG at State Human Rights Commission in 2006 reportedly noted in the ACR of Mr Gopalakrishnan, then SP with the commission, that the latter needed treatment for mental instability. Sources close to Mr. Senkumar said that he may move legally against the government decision. Mr. Senkumar got sufficient evidences to substantiate the remarks in ACR of Mr. Gopalakrishnan, they said. “Prima facie, it looks like a vindictive action of the government against Mr Senkumar,” said a senior officer. “Mr Gopalakrishnan's request was pending for a long time."

Another officer said the government had set a wrong precedent of letting a junior officer move court against a senior officer for a remark in ACR. “Objections against ACR have to be raised before higher authorities, and not in courts. Moreover, remarks in ACRs are of confidential nature and hence it could not be considered as a defamatory one," said the officer. Meanwhile, sources at  Chief Minister's office said that the action on Mr. Gopalakrishnan's petition was taken in the normal course only. “Mr Gopalakrishnan gave a petition earlier seeking permission to purse legal action against Mr. Senkumar for insulting him by terming him insane. The file had to go through various sections and hence the delay in taking a decision," said Chief Minister's private secretary Mr. M. V. Jayarajan.

Meanwhile, there were also unconfirmed reports that the government was setting another plot to remove Mr. Senkumar from the state police chief post before his retirement from service in June 30. The Supreme Court order to reinstate him was based on the norm that state police chief should have two year term form appointment. Senkumar was appointed as state police chief in 2015 May. Hence the two year term of his posting as state police chief ended on this May 21. Meanwhile, there were also allegations that the present moves against Mr. Senkumar was a plot being set by a section of officials to affect his pensionary benefits. He is due to retire from service on June 30.