DGP on a safe wicket

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Director-General of Police Jacob Punnoose seems to be on a safe wicket. Despite the outcry of some Congress leaders, including an MLA and the RMP office-bearers  about his statements on the T P murder case, the criticism has failed to gain strength. “It is a fact that there is discontent  among a section of the police personnel on the DGP’s latest stand. His earlier stand that the murder was the result of personal grudge was correct. As the chief of the police force, there was no need for him to describe any murder as political. But by retracting from his earlier opinion and expressing a feeble opinion, he has weakened his stand. Anyway the govt will not remove him from the post as there are no other officers in the DGP ra nk to be appointed to the post. He is still in the good books of the govt. Though Venugopal K  Nair, Vigilance director, is an eligible candidate who is acceptable to the UDF there is only a short time left for his retirement,’’ top sources in the police said. Another key officer pointed out that Jacob Punnoose, who was appointed by the former LDF Govt, is on firm ground as the government did not want to attract the resentment of the Church. “Some Church leaders maintain good relations with the DGP. Why should the UDF attract another controversy by removing him? he asked.T N Prathapan, Congress MLA, who had openly criticised DGP’s stand, said that every action of the DGP in the TP murder case should be keenly watched. ‘’At one stage, the DGP’s opinion in the case was similar to that of CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan,’’ said Prathapan.  Some YC leaders also shared  the same opinion. But they were not ready to demand action against him. KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, “There is no point in removing the DGP. We are extending full support to him for the probe to move in the right direction.’’