Yogesh Gupta's clearance certificate; government withdraws condition; file handed over to Chief Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has withdrawn the condition that DGP Yogesh Gupta should give in writing stating that he need not be considered as the next police chief if he wants his clearance for the post of Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief to be sent to the Centre. 'Kerala Kaumudi' had reported on this strategy to remove Yogesh, who is third on the central list for the post of police chief.

The General Administration Department prepared the file to be submitted to the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday along with a clearance certificate stating that there is no case or investigation against Yogesh. The Home and Public Administration Secretaries approved it and handed it over to the Chief Minister. Once the Chief Minister signs it, the file will be sent to the Centre. As the incident became controversial, the Union Home Ministry sought information from Kerala and informed that further action would be taken after waiting for two more days. The clearance documents were prepared after this.

The condition to withdraw from the consideration list for the police chief was unheard of in Kerala. The condition was communicated to Yogesh on Sunday by a high-ranking official in the Home Department on the instructions of the government. The government also exerted pressure through Yogesh's fellow IPS officers in other states.

Yogesh rejected this outright and said that he would approach the court if the central deputation clearance was not given. Although it is the government's discretion to issue NOCs to transfer the services of officers to the central service, the government feared that if no case record was provided, there would be a backlash in the court. This is why the proceedings were expedited.

Condition made for favorite ones

• The government's move was to remove Yogesh from the Police Chief's consideration list and Ravada Chandrasekhar from the IB list and bring forward the 'favourite' ones from the bottom of the list

• The list of Nitin Agarwal, Ravada Chandrasekhar, Yogesh Gupta, Manoj Abraham, Suresh Rajpurohit and M.R. Ajitkumar has been sent to the UPSC. The list of the three senior ones will be handed over to the state. Appointments should be made from this.

• If Yogesh and Ravada withdraw, those below them can reach the final list. Suresh Rajpurohit, who is in charge of the Prime Minister's security, will not be sent to Kerala from the SPG. The government is not interested in Nitin Agarwal.