'Challenging govt to give list of 144 police officials dismissed, CM misled assembly'; Ramesh Chennithala turns against govt

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala termed the Chief Minister's statement in the Assembly about the home department dismissing 144 police officers following disciplinary action as a blatant lie. Ramesh Chennithala said that he would give a privilege notice to the Speaker against this statement.

Ramesh Chennithala

“According to the National Crime Records Bureau, fewer than 50 police officers have been dismissed since Pinarayi took office in 2016. I am challenging the Chief Minister to place the list of 144 dismissed police officers in the Assembly. If not, the Chief Minister should apologise.

During the period 2011-2016, when Oommen Chandy was the Chief Minister, 61 police officers were dismissed as part of disciplinary action. During Pinarayi's nine-and-a-half-year rule, there was a recommendation to dismiss 144 people, including those with serious criminal backgrounds. However, most of those who faced action were officials on sabbatical from service. Those with criminal backgrounds are still at the helm of law and order duties. An officer, suspended for being accused in several cases during V.S. Achuthanandan's tenure as the Chief Minister, is now in an important position at the police headquarters.

Former CM Oommen Chandy is blamed by some for the accused in the Udayakumar murder case walking out free from court. The Chief Minister deliberately concealed the fact that it was the CBI that investigated this case and submitted the charge sheet to the court. He also omitted the fact that the shooting took place after a policeman named Vinod was beaten to death in Muthanga. The CM even raised blatant allegations against someone as idealistic and courageous as A.K. Antony.

Four Maoists were shot dead during Pinarayi's tenure as the Chief Minister. The Maoists arrested by the Kerala Police from Coimbatore during my tenure as the Home Minister are still in the high-security jail in Thrissur."