Top cop in trouble as Oommen Chandy mulls action

Thiruvananthapuram, July 13: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said "suitable action" would be taken against senior IPS officer Rishiraj Singh, who allegedly showed "disrespect" to Home minister Ramesh Chennithala by refusing to acknowledge his presence at a function and failed to even salute him.

This was stated by Chandy at a meeting of UDF parliamentary party members here. Chandy said the ADGP had not only failed to salute the Minister, but his explanation for his behaviour could not be accepted.

MLAs attending the meeting said such incidents would send "wrong signals" and cannot be accepted. The incident had occurred on Saturday when the Home Minister had arrived to attend the passing out parade of women

personnel at the Police Academy in Thrissur.

ADGP Rishiraj Singh, in charge of special services and traffic, was seated on a sofa and continued to do so and did not proceed to welcome the Minister or salute him.

He continued to cold shoulder the Minister even after he reached the dais and only after Chennithala left the venue, did he get up and leave.

Chennithala, who also attended today's meeting, did not say anything, sources said. The Minister had yesterday told reporters at Kochi that he had no complaints with regard to Singh's behaviour.

"I have no complaint against anyone in this regard. It is for the DGP to probe if his behaviour violated protocol", the Minister had said.

The ADGP's photograph showing him seated went viral in the social media and it was alleged that he had shown disrespect by not standing up and saluting the Minister.

The officer had later clarified that the Minister had entered through the back side of the venue which he had failed to notice.

"The Facebook and Whatsapp postings are creating confusion among the public. When we are sitting on the dais facing the parade, the Minister entered from behind. How will we see a person who is behind us?

At the parade we are supposed to get up only when the national anthem is played," Singh had said.

PTI