Thiruvananthapuram: Despite a recent order of the State Information Commission to the T-branch at police headquarters to provide information under the Right to Information Act, the T-branch allegedly refused to divulge information. Kochi-based lawyer D B Binu who was denied information regarding the internal vigilance cell in the police headquarters had approached the Information Commission seeking action aginst the junior superintendent at the T-branch Kumari Beena V N as well as the state public information officer at police headquarters M Saibudheen (DySP NRI Cell). State police chief T P Senkumar also issued a directive earlier that information from T-branch should be disclosed under RTI Act.
Binu said that Saibudheen transferred his application to Beena Kumari, which was illegal. Complete information sought was denied citing section 8 (1) (h) of the RTI Act which restricted providing information that may affect investigations. “Information regarding the formation and functioning of the internal vigilance cell does not in any manner impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders. The respondents have arbitrarily denied the information sought,” he alleged.
It may be recalled that Mr. Senkumar earlier ordered the removal of Beena Kumari from T-branch. But the government stalled the move owing to the differences with the CM. In the petition to State Information Commission, advocate Binu also urged that a directive be given to remove Saibudheen and Beena Kumari from the current posts and initiate an inquiry for suppressing information.
