God knows better how men in uniform are fighting terror in God’s own country!

Probe IGP links with terrorists: Kerala to Centre

VR Jayaraj | Kochi – Daily Pioneer

God knows better how men in uniform are fighting terror in God’s own country! While the Kerala Government has requested the Union Home Ministry for a probe into the allegation against controversial IGP Tomin J Thachankery that he had held negotiations with some terror suspects in Qatar, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is irked by the interaction of LeT’s South India commander T Nazeer with the media.

The NIA expressed serious concern over the appearance of images of Nazeer and a co-accused without masks in the media and asked the Special CBI Court-2, Kochi, for orders to strengthen security for the accused in terror cases.

While coming out of the court on Wednesday, Nazeer, prime accused in the Bangalore bombings case, had told the waiting mediamen that he had not given any statement against PDP chairman Abdul Nasser Madani, 31st accused. This had caused huge embarrassment to the NIA and other agencies as the Karnataka Police had named Madani as an accused in the case on the basis of the statement of Nazeer.

It was the second time Nazeer and his relative, aide and terror associate Shafaz interacted with the media without wearing masks. Nazeer had last week told the media in Kannur that they had done nothing that went against their religious beliefs.

In the Thachankery episode, the State Chief Secretary has reportedly sent a letter to the Centre even as various political parties demanded investigations against Thachankery’s protectors in the official leadership of the Kerala CPI(M).

The Chief Secretary is said to have written the letter to the Centre on instructions from Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, who had the other day confirmed the receipt of a Central suggestion for investigation and departmental action against Thachankery, saying Kerala wanted a Central agency to hold the probe as the issue had international ramifications. The letter said that the State Government had limitations in investigating such a case.

According to the letter written by the Union Home Ministry to the Kerala Chief Secretary on the basis of information from the Indian Embassy in Qatar,

Thachankery had held discussions in the Gulf country with certain criminals whom the police were hunting. The Indian envoy in Qatar had said Thachankery had told him that he was there to search for persons with links to Thadiyantavide Nazeer, LeT’s South India correspondent. This was a serious matter, the letter noted.

Thachankery had made this Qatar trip when he was the IGP (North) and head of the Cyber Cell of the Kerala Police. This Gulf visit preceded his other controversial visit to four Arab countries in April, which led to his suspension for violation of service rules as he had failed to get authorisation for the tour and had misled the Government. That visit became a scandal after reports came out that he was seen escorting a CPI(M) delegation led by State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the Gulf.

The letter from the Union Home Ministry stated that Thachankery had promised safe passage to Kerala for men with terror connections. As per the letter, the official had met the Indian Envoy without informing him in advance. Asked about this, Thachankery had replied that police officials would not be able to take special permission from the Centre every time they went abroad on official duty, the letter said.

Opposition parties in Kerala were quick to charge the official leadership of the CPI(M), Pinarayi Vijayan and Home Minister and Politbureau member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan with the responsibility for the development. They alleged that the party and these leaders were the protectors of Thachankery and that he would do nothing without the CPI(M)’s clearance.

Senior Congress leader and former minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that it was public knowledge that a section of the CPI(M) was protecting Thachankery publicly and privately. State BJP president V Muraleedharan said any probe should be applicable to the CPI(M) leaders as Thachankery was enjoying their protection.

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