Kerala police chief in charge of jails moved out

Director General of Police (Jails) Alexander Jacob, a senior-most police official in Kerala, was moved out from his post for his remarks on a controversial murder case.

"The government does not wish to be put under a cloud or any sort of suspicion and his remarks did not go well. We have given additional charge of this post to Additional Director General of Police T.P. Senkumar, the current intelligence chief," Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told reporters om Kottayam.

Trouble for Jacob began early this week when TV channels aired visuals of three undertrial prisoners, jailed for last year's murder of former CPI-M leader T.P. Chandrasekheran, posting their photographs on Facebook.

Kodi Sunni, Kirmani Manoj and Mohammed Shafi, among the 36 accused in the murder case, wearing shorts and sunglasses, posted the photos on the social site.

Jacob, heading the jails department for more than four years, at a Thiruvananthapuram Thursday press conference said he would not believe what was shown on the TV channels unless it was scientifically proved.

He also said the timing of the TV reports could influence the judgment in the case, expected Dec 30.

Ever since the visuals appeared and Jacob's press conference, Congress leaders owing allegiance to state party president Ramesh Chennithala, went hammer and tongs against Jacob and some of them like K. Muraleedharan demanded Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to take over the home portfolio from Radhakrishnan.

But what came as the most surprising development Thursday was while the official CPI-M leadership praised Jacob, Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan demanded the policeman be removed at the earliest.