HC unhappy with Kerala government

Kochi, June 23: For a second time in a month, the Kerala High Court on Thursday came down heavily on the government for allegedly shielding a top cop in the state.

A division bench of Chief Justice Navaniti Prasad Singh expressed unhappiness when the government sought 10 more days to furnish details in the cases related to Additional Director General of Police Tomin J. Thachenkery

The court had in June asked for the same details.

Expressing its displeasure at the delay, the bench asked whether this was being done to buy time so that by then the present Kerala Police Chief T.P. Senkumar would retire.

The court posted the case for June 28 and directed all details of Thachenkery to be filed before next Wednesday.

The case against Thachenkery came up on a public litigation by a social activist who questioned the sudden appointment of the Thachenkery in the police headquarters.

Thachenkery has placed in the headquarters just days ahead of Senkumar's reinstatement as the state police chief following an order from the apex court in May.

The court wanted to know whether Thachenkery's posting was made to keep a tab on Senkumar. If that was the case, it should be canceled, the high court said.

The petitioner had pointed out that Thachenkery had a few cases against him and the court had asked for an affidavit on the same.

The decision to remove Senkumar was made the day Vijayan took over as Chief Minister in May 2016. It took Senkumar an 11-month legal battle to get his post back.

Senkumar will retire from service on June 30.