Despite being named in the ‘Gutka scam’, the Tamil Nadu government has given an extension of two years to TK Rajendran to continue as the Director General of Police.
Police sources told The Hindu that the Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami signed the file recommending TK Rajendran for the top post, and sent it to the Governor on Friday. The appointment came around 11.30pm. Rajendran was supposed to retire on Friday, but now, he will continue to hold office until June 2019.
It is reported that the Governor of Tamil Nadu Vidyasagar Rao has raised questions about the extension of tenure of TK Rajendran.
This comes two days after DMK working president MK Stalin had raised the issue of gutka scam in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, and named former city police commissioner George, DGP TK Rajendran and Health Minister Vijayabhaskar for allegedly allowing sales of gutka products in the state.
On July 8 in 2016, raids were conducted at the godown, offices and residences of a pan masala and gutka manufacturer in Tamil Nadu, who was facing charges of evading tax to the tune of Rs 250 crore. Seized during the raid was a diary containing names of those who were believed to have been paid off by the gutka manufacturers, which allegedly included the names of the Health Minister and other top officials including S George and TK Rajendran.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had also asked for the Income Tax department report on the gutka scam.
TK Rajendran is an IPS officer from 1984-batch and hails from Thiruvannamalai district. He was among the four senior IPS officers whose names were approved by the Union Public Service Commission at a meeting convened in New Delhi on Thursday.