Top

No foul play in fire at ADGP Kalpana's room: Govt

A statement from the DGP office said on Monday that forensic experts had opined that evidences of short circuit were noticed in copper wires and that, based on thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, the presence of any arson material like petrol, diesel and other inflammable substances was ruled out.

Chennai:The office of the Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of the State Police denied any foul play in the fire that broke out at the chamber of ADGP Kalpana Nayak, who is the member of the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB), gutting important documents, on July 28, 2024, and ruled out any wilful act of arson or planned threat to the life of the officer, as suggested in media reports.

A statement from the DGP office said on Monday that forensic experts had opined that evidences of short circuit were noticed in copper wires and that, based on thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, the presence of any arson material like petrol, diesel and other inflammable substances was ruled out.

The full-fledged investigation was carried out after Nayak wrote a letter to the head of police force in the State and also to the Chennai police commissioner on August 14, 2024, about the fire accident, in which she suspected foul play and sabotage and also a threat to her life, the DGP office said.

A case was registered at F2 Egmore Police Station on the day of the incident and an investigation was taken up immediately, the statement said, adding: ‘The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Triplicane, along with forensic experts, experts from the Electricity Board (TANGEDCO), Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation, and technical experts from Blue Star Company, visited the site and conducted a detailed inquiry.’

Subsequently, the case was transferred to the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) and Additional DCP, CCB-I, was appointed as the investigating officer to carry out a detailed probe, during which statements from 31 witnesses were recorded and experts from forensic science, fire services, and electrical departments were consulted to determine the cause of the fire, the statement said.

Earlier in the day, several opposition party leaders alleged that it was an attempt to kill an honest police officer for exposing the irregularities in the TNUSRB in the recruitment of police personnel. Leader of the opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami pointed out the ADGP’s contention that she could have lost her life if she had entered the office a little earlier and wanted to know what Chief Minister M K Stalin had to say on the incident.

When an officer in the level of ADGP could face death threat for exposing irregularities in a department, how would the common people come forward to express their grievances against the government, Palaniswami asked, demanding proper security for Nayak and a detailed probe into the allegations that she had made.

BJP State President K Annamalai, in a message on X, said that it had become evident through the incident that the ‘iron hand’ of Stalin was being used only to silence truths and not to uphold justice. Social activists and government officials were being killed for exposing corruption, mismanagement and irregularities in the State, where even police personnel were not being spared, he said.

Nayak was rewarded with a charred office for pointing out the irregularities in sub-inspector recruitment in the past and present and flouting rules and laws had become customary in the State under DMK rule, he said.

PMK founder S Ramadoss demanded a CBI enquiry to find out if there was a conspiracy to kill the senior police officer for exposing irregularities in the recruitment of sub-inspectors. The allegation of the ADGP that no action was taken even six months after she had complained about the fire in her chamber in the TNUSRB office should not be taken lightly, Ramadoss said.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story