The Supreme Court slammed the Kerala government on Friday for delaying the re-appointment of TP Senkumar as Director General of State Police. The apex court also imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on the government for asking for modification of order given by the court last month.
The court dismissed the state’s plea for a clarification on the reinstatement of Senkumar as the state police chief.
Permitting a senior counsel Sidhartha Luthra to withdraw the application for clarification on its April 24 order, a bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta imposed the fine. The Kerala government has a week to pay the fine.
The apex court issued a notice to the Pinarayi Vijayan government on a contempt petition by Senkumar contending that despite the April 24 order he has not been reinstated as DGP.
The court once again told the government to reinstate the officer at the earliest. It also warned the government that there will be repercussions if they do not obey its order.
The SC bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur had earlier ordered the Kerala government to reinstate Senkumar to DGP post after the court found there was no specific reason for changing the police chief.
However, the government delayed the reinstatement for a week and filed an application on Thursday to clarify the court’s April 24 judgment.
In the petition the state government has argued that Senkumar was not selected as the State Police Chief and he was holding the DGP position while he was removed from the post. The government also said that another person was appointed to the post after his removal and reinstating Senkumar would affect new person’s appointment.
Dushyant Dave and Harris Beeran, Senkumar’s lawyers had argued in court that there were deliberate attempts by the state government to delay until Senkumar’s retiring date in June.
Senkumar also claimed that CPI (M) led government is taking revenge on him after he probed the TP Chandrashekharan murder case, in which CPI (M) men are prime suspects.
Senkumar told the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday that he does not have any ill feelings towards the government and that he is awaiting orders from the Kerala government as per the apex court directions.
On Tuesday, the Chief Minister informed the Assembly that his government is duty-bound to abide by the Supreme Court order and it is just awaiting legal opinion on the matter.
With inputs from IANS.