Kerala-cadre IPS officer approaches SC for contempt against state officer

Alleges wilful disobedience of apex court's order to reinstate him

Senior IPS officer T P Senkumar on Saturday approached the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against the Kerala government's top officer over “wilful disobedience” of the apex court's order to reinstate him as the state Director General of Police (DGP).

Five days after the direction to re-appoint him as Kerala's police chief, Senkumar filed a contempt plea against state Chief Secretary Nalini Netto for failing to issue orders in this regard.

“There is a sinister intention behind the contemnors resolute refusal to implement this court's directions. It is reiterated that the contemnor is the author of the note dated 26 May, 2016 and therefore would be reluctant to see the petitioner receive what is due to him by virtue of this court's judgments. Even if the contemnor finally implements this directions, she may at all costs delay the implementation solely to frustrate the petitioner's cause,” the petition filed by his counsel Haris Beeran stated.

The officer claimed that he had already provided on 27 April a certified copy of the apex court's judgement but so far no order has been issued. He said he had sent a letter on 25 April  too for “expeditiously carrying out the directions.”

Senkumar, who is set to retire on June 30, also urged the apex court to consider extending his tenure as state police chief for the period “which was illegally taken off from him”. He was appointed DGP on May 22, 2015.

“He was removed, illegally on June 1, 2016, as found by this court. Therefore, going by the principles of the judgment of this court in Prakash Singh’s case, the petitioner is entitled for his remaining tenure irrespective of his superannuation,” the plea stated.

In one of the rare decisions, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta had quashed the state government's order that shunted out Senkumar, then DGP and made him Chairman and Managing Director of the Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation Ltd.

Senkumar was removed just as the LDF government assumed office. The government relied upon two notes sent by the Additional Home Secretary, indicting him for Puttingal Temple tragedy in which more than 100 people lost their lives following an explosion during the fireworks display at the temple in Kollam.

The officer was accused of protecting erring police officials and for trying to scuttle the fair probe. In second note, he was blamed for laxity in the murder case of Dalit girl Jisha that “eroded the confidence of the public on the leadership of the force”.