Even though the Supreme Court verdict went in favour of T.P. Senkumar and he had to be reinstated as the Kerala police chief, the going has not been smooth for the state's top cop ever since he was restored to the post of DGP.
Senkumar was removed as the Director General of Police (DGP) as soon as Pinarayi Vijayan became Chief Minister on May 25 last year. But, after an 11-month legal battle, the former was reinstated by the apex court earlier this month.
On Tuesday, he got a shock when his own personal security officer for the past 15 years was given marching orders.
The Home Department, held by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, transferred Anilkumar, an Assistant Sub-Inspector, who had been with Senkumar for the past 15 years.
The transfer order of a low-rank police official is always issued by senior police officers and not the Home Department.
According to the transfer order issued on Tuesday, the move followed a complaint that Anilkumar had been with Senkumar for the past 15 years without any formal orders and therefore, he has been transferred.
Incidentally, this transfer order came just a few days after Senkumar said that he would continue his fight against injustice and would not lie low.
Last week, Senkumar was snubbed by the Home Department when the state government granted sanction to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) V. Gopalakrishnan to go ahead with prosecution proceedings against Senkumar.
Gopalakrishnan and Senkumar have been at odds since long. When the AIG had in 2006 first sought the government's permission for prosecution proceedings, it was declined. He also failed to secure permission when the Oommen Chandy government was in office. But, when he approached the Vijayan government, the sanction was granted.
Vijayan also saw to it that before Senkumar was reinstated as the state police chief, Tomin J. Thachenkery was brought in as the Additional Director General of Police in the state police headquarters. Thachenkery does not share the best of relations with Senkumar and is believed to be close to Vijayan.
Senkumar is due to retire on June 30, but given the kind of relationship the DGP shares with the Chief Minister, the legal battle of the top cop with the Vijayan government is set to continue even after he demits office.