<p>The selection of a new state police chief in Kerala is raising eyebrows this time as some of the frontrunners to the post have a tainted track record but enjoy the support of the ruling party.</p>.<p>Incumbent police chief Loknath Behera is superannuating from service next month and the selection process of his successor is already on with the state government reportedly sending a list of 12 seniormost officers to the UPSC for screening.</p>.<p>SPG director Arun Kumar Sinha, who is a 1987 batch IPS officer, is learnt to be topping the seniority list. But he is unlikely to return to state service.</p>.<p>Next to him are his batchmates Tomin J Thachankary and Sudeshkumar, who are serving as Kerala Financial Corporation managing director and Kerala vigilance director respectively.</p>.<p>Thanchankary was known to be very close to the CPM leadership and was said to have played a key role in setting up the CPM-controlled Kairali channel. He however is believed to have a shady track record. While an illegal wealth case is pending against him, he has also faced serious allegations of meeting people with terror links during a visit to Qatar in 2010.</p>.<p>Though Sudeshkumar did not face any allegations, his daughter faced a case of allegedly manhandling a police personnel in Kerala in 2018 following a verbal duel over a delay in bringing a car to collect the officer's daughter after her morning walk. As a result of this, a large section of the police are unlikely to favour Sudeshkumar's appointment as police chief. Moreover, he has only less than two years of service left, while the guidelines prescribe two-year service for State police chief.</p>.<p>Woman IPS officer B Sandhya of the 1988 batch is next in the pecking order. However, she has only completed 23 months of service, while the guidelines prescribe not less than 24 months of service. If an exemption is given to her, Kerala may have a first woman police officer as state police chief.</p>
<p>The selection of a new state police chief in Kerala is raising eyebrows this time as some of the frontrunners to the post have a tainted track record but enjoy the support of the ruling party.</p>.<p>Incumbent police chief Loknath Behera is superannuating from service next month and the selection process of his successor is already on with the state government reportedly sending a list of 12 seniormost officers to the UPSC for screening.</p>.<p>SPG director Arun Kumar Sinha, who is a 1987 batch IPS officer, is learnt to be topping the seniority list. But he is unlikely to return to state service.</p>.<p>Next to him are his batchmates Tomin J Thachankary and Sudeshkumar, who are serving as Kerala Financial Corporation managing director and Kerala vigilance director respectively.</p>.<p>Thanchankary was known to be very close to the CPM leadership and was said to have played a key role in setting up the CPM-controlled Kairali channel. He however is believed to have a shady track record. While an illegal wealth case is pending against him, he has also faced serious allegations of meeting people with terror links during a visit to Qatar in 2010.</p>.<p>Though Sudeshkumar did not face any allegations, his daughter faced a case of allegedly manhandling a police personnel in Kerala in 2018 following a verbal duel over a delay in bringing a car to collect the officer's daughter after her morning walk. As a result of this, a large section of the police are unlikely to favour Sudeshkumar's appointment as police chief. Moreover, he has only less than two years of service left, while the guidelines prescribe two-year service for State police chief.</p>.<p>Woman IPS officer B Sandhya of the 1988 batch is next in the pecking order. However, she has only completed 23 months of service, while the guidelines prescribe not less than 24 months of service. If an exemption is given to her, Kerala may have a first woman police officer as state police chief.</p>
