THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader V.S. Achuthanandan has questioned the appointment of ADGP level officer as director of Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau.
The opposition leader has asked the Chief Minister to explain the reason behind appointing an ADGP rank officer. He said there are four DGP posts in the state; two cadre posts and two ex cadre. Cadre posts are for state police chief and vigilance chief.
Mr Achuthanandan said that the state government cannot appoint any officer lower than the rank of DGP as vigilance director without the permission of the Central Government.
“The government has appointed an ADGP level officer by throwing all these norms to winds. The issue attains significance in the wake of the court expressing doubts about the neutrality of the vigilance department,” the opposition leader said.
He alleged that the appointment had been made in violation of cadre rules to save K. Babu, V. Sivakumar and Ramesh Chennithala and to derail further investigations into allegations against K.M. Mani.
Mr Achuthanandan said at the moment the four DGP level officers are T.P. Senkumar, Vinson M. Paul, Jacob Thomas and Loknath Behera.
With Vinson M. Paul set to retire on November 30, Rishiraj Singh is next in line to become DGP. The government is clearly trying to prevent the posting of these officers to the director’s post.
The veteran leader asked the government to clarify what was the lack of qualification of existing DGPs to take up the assignment.
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