Jacob says sorry, moved out of jail

Thiruvananthapuram: Despite expressing public regrets  for his controversial statements, Alexander Jacob could not save his chair as he has been shunted out ofDGP (Prisons) post. ADGP (Intelligence) T. P. Senkumar has been given full additional charge of DGP (Prisons).

Jacob on Friday withdrew his controversial remarks with regard to the TPC murder case. However, with mounting pressure from within the Congress and other UDF allies, the government  was left with no  option but to show him the door. A fresh posting would be given to  Jacob later, Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said.

In a written explanation sent to the Home Minister on Friday, Jacob said that his remarks on Thursday  were a slip of the tongue and that he withdrew them  unconditionally.  However, the Home Minister felt the explanation was unsatisfactory.

Jacob said in a TV channel interview on Friday:  “I had only meant that the chances of the allegations of TPC murder accused using mobile phones  could be part of the efforts to strengthen the case against the accused. Also with regard to TPC murder accused P. Mohanan meeting his wife K K Lathika MLA on the way to court, I withdrew my statement that there was nothing wrong in it.”

However, he had kicked up  yet another controversy by mentioning that many of those who were now criticising the prison department for extending privileges to prisoners had also called him seeking favours for some of their dear or near ones who were jailed.

Meanwhile, the Home Department has submitted before Kerala High Court that former jail DGP Alexander Jacob delayed the installation of CCTV cameras in jails in the state.

The HC had asked the state to install CCTVs in jails in August 27, but so far the  order has not been carried out.

The state also sought four months’ time to establish CCTV surveillance system in all jails. On two earlier  occasions on  September 27 and October 26,  the jail DGP had  been directed to furnish a proposal,  but he did not do it.  Hence it needed four more months to comply with the court order, the Home Department submitted.