Senior Kerala police officer sent to transport department

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 9 : A top police official, who was at loggerheads with Kerala's Cooperation Minister C.N. Balakrishnan, has been shifted to transport department as commissioner.

Balakrishnan and additional director general of police Tomin J. Thachenkery were at loggerheads for a while.

Thachenkery was also the managing director of the Kerala State Co-operatives Consumers' Federation Ltd. (Consumerfed), the apex body of the consumer co-operatives in Kerala.

He had rubbed Balakrishnan the wrong way on a few occasions, seeking a vigilance probe into some deals and alleged corruption by Consumerfed chairman Joy Thomas, a senior Congress leader and an aide of Balakrishnan and state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.

Last week, some reports surfaced stating that Thachenkery had been shunted out. But it was later clarified that no such decision had been taken.

But employees of Consumerfed gathered at the State Congress party headquarters on Tuesday after learning that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would be arriving there to attend a meeting.

The employees wanted that the police official, fighting corruption in the organisation, should not be removed.

Speaking to reporters after the weekly cabinet meet here on Wednesday, the chief mminister said Thachenkery has been transferred and made the transport commissioner.

Regarding Thachenkery's transfer, Chandy said: "Today, there is no confusion and he has been given a new post."

Asked about the reason for inaction despite Thachenkery's reports about widespread corruption in Consumerfed, Chandy assured there would be no leniency against corruption. "I am yet to get any report about it."

Thachenkery was suspended in 2010 by then chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan for violating service rules, but it was Chandy who reinstated him after a few months after becoming chief minister in 2011.

IANS