Sundaresan
CHENNAI: Putting his foot down, State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) chairperson Justice S Manikumar overruled the Tamil Nadu police headquarters and also the IAS officer who took charge as the secretary of the commission to retain a DSP who was transferred days after filing a preliminary report confirming the illegal detention and brutal assault of two murder suspects by the Kancheepuram police.
The officer who took charge as SHRC secretary on Wednesday tried to ensure the transfer of the DSP, M Sundaresan, as ordered by the State police HQ, but commission chairperson Manikumar, the former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, passed an order retaining the DSP at SHRC hours later.
"As per the decision of the chairperson, M Sundaresan is retained as DSP, SHRC, notwithstanding the order of the secretary (in-charge), who assumed office today," reads the chairperson's order dated October 23.
After noting that Sundaresan was not relieved, the chairperson directed the commission office to not accept the joining letter of E Krishnamoorthy, DSP, Vigilance wing of TN Prisons and Correctional Services, who was posted as the replacement. "Any act contravening the order issued will be viewed seriously," the order warned.
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The issue stems from the transfer order issued by the State police headquarters on October 10, shunting out DSP Sundaresan from SHRC to the Prohibition and Enforcement Wing.
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Conspicuously, ten days before the transfer orders, on October 1, the chairperson had passed an order noting that there should be no interference, in any manner whatsoever, to the inquiry by SHRC.
He cited the preliminary report by DSP Sundaresan that prima facie established that the Kancheepuram police not only illegally detained and brutally assaulted suspects in the murder of a retired police inspector leading to their hospitalisation, but also threatened and humiliated their family members.
In the last week of August, the Kancheepuram police arrested MDMK district secretary E Valayapathi (65) and E Prabhu (52), an electrician, in connection with the murder of retired inspector P Kasthuri (63) over a property deal that turned sour.
