Kerala cop’s foreign visit raises political storm

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala’s main opposition Congress party Wednesday demanded action against an Inspector General of Police (IGP) for allegedly visiting the Middle East last week without official sanction even as the IGP sent a legal notice to a politician for making defamatory remarks against him.

IGP Tomin J. Thachenkery, against whom Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had ordered an inquiry over the foreign trip, Wednesday sent a legal notice to a Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader.

He sent the notice to T.M. Jacob, former minister and chief of Kerala Congress (Jacob), an ally of the Congress-led opposition, over his allegedly defamatory remarks Tuesday. Jacob had also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry intoThachenkery’s foreign visit.

The inquiry ordered by the chief minister against the IGP was conducted by Additional Director General of Police Siby Mathew, who sumbitted his report Tuesday.

Media reports claimed the Mathew report has confirmed that Thachenkery had gone abroad without official permission.

State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala Wednesday told reporters that Achuthanandan should take action against the IGP in the wake of the Mathew report.

“Achuthanandan should be courageous to take action within 24 hours of the inquiry report and suspend Thachenkery, who proceeded on a foreign trip without prior permission,” said Chennithala.

Thachenkery was also in news in July 2007 when he was suspended by Achuthanandan in the wake of a first information report (FIR) filed in a vigilance court.

He was accused of amassing assets worth Rs.9.5 million between Jan 1, 2003, and March 31, 2005, when he was managing director of the state-owned Books and Publication Society.

–Indo Asian News Service