An order issued by the General Administration Department places Kumar in the Crime Branch’s second wing. He will simultaneously hold full additional charge as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), establishing his next responsibilities following the October 28 transfer.
The appointment ends the interval during which Kumar had no fresh posting after being relieved of command in Kochi. R Nishanthini succeeded him as city police commissioner amid criticism of the handling of the Cheranalloor collision, which killed a scooter rider and involved a car allegedly driven by a judge’s teenage son.
The government order also transfers N Rajan, who was serving as vigilance officer at the Kerala State Electricity Board in Thiruvananthapuram, to the post of Superintendent of Police (Administration) in the State Special Branch, also based in the capital.
Kumar’s reassignment follows an administrative decision that drew attention because the controversy concerned police action during the early stages of an investigation involving a minor. His removal came after questions were raised about the charges initially registered, the treatment of the teenage driver and the speed of subsequent investigative steps.
The victim, 55-year-old Jayabalakrishnan, was riding a scooter at Cheranalloor when a Mercedes-Benz allegedly driven by the 17-year-old son of an Additional District and Sessions Judge struck him in the early hours of October 25. The collision prompted protests by his family and local residents, who accused police of failing to act firmly against those involved.
Police initially registered a case under a provision concerning death by negligence. The teenager was released on station bail before being taken into custody again following protests. Investigators subsequently invoked a more serious provision relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, reflecting a change in their assessment of the evidence.
The teenager was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which granted him bail. The judge, identified as the vehicle’s registered owner, was also named as an accused under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, a provision addressing the responsibility of guardians or vehicle owners for specified offences committed by minors.
The handling of the case led to the suspension of four officers attached to Cheranalloor police station. The personnel included officers holding supervisory and investigating responsibilities. Their suspension preceded Kumar’s removal and became part of a wider dispute over responsibility for the decisions taken immediately after the crash.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala criticised the initial police response and addressed the matter in the Legislative Assembly. Additional Director General of Police P Vijayan examined the handling of the investigation, including the decisions made at the police station. The government subsequently changed the leadership of the Kochi city force.
The transfer also prompted concerns within sections of the police force about whether station-level personnel were being held responsible for decisions that required supervisory oversight. Those concerns did not alter the government’s decision to replace the commissioner or the separate disciplinary action against the four officers.
Before handing over charge, Kumar publicly rejected suggestions that the judge or anyone else had pressured him to influence the investigation. He maintained that the inquiry had proceeded on the basis of evidence and denied any attempt to dilute the case through outside intervention.
(The article ‘Ousted top Kochi cop gets IG post’ appeared first on Free Press Journal.)
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