Senior Kerala cop asked to explain not saluting state’s Home Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Taking a serious view of alleged disrespect shown to Kerala Home Minister, a showcause notice was issued by the Home Department to senior IPS officer Rishiraj Singh who had courted controversy by not saluting Ramesh Chennithala at a function recently.

The notice, issued by the department on the instructions of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, sought an explanation from Mr Singh for his behaviour, official sources said.

The 1985 batch IPS officer had allegedly failed to acknowledge the presence of Mr Chennithala by not saluting him at a passing out parade of women police personnel at Thrissur on July 11.

Though Mr Chennithala had said he had no complaints, the chief minister had taken a serious view of the incident.

As soon as it was announced in the public address system that the minister had reached the venue, senior police officers on the dais stood up to receive him and saluted him.

However, ADGP Rishiraj Singh, in-charge of the Armed Forces Battalion, who was seated on a sofa, continued to do so and allegedly did not welcome the minister or salute him.

When the incident became a talking point in the social media, Mr Singh dismissed the reports as 'baseless'.

A photograph showing the ADGP seated went viral in the social media and it was alleged that he had shown disrespect by not standing up and saluting the minister.

The officer had later clarified that the minister had entered through the back side of the venue which he had failed to notice. "We were guests... as per protocol, those sitting in the gallery for watching the parade are supposed to stand only when the national anthem is played. Otherwise we are supposed to sit till the VVIP leaves," Mr Singh had stated justifying his behaviour.

Mr Singh, who shared the dais with Mr Chennithala at a function few days ago, had greeted the minister with folded hands.