Top Kerala cop lands in trouble after he allegedly failed to salute state Home Minister

A senior IPS officer was in the midst of a controversy after he allegedly showed "disrespect" to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala by failing to salute him.

However, reacting to the incident involving ADGP Rishiraj Singh, Chennithala on Sunday said it was for the DGP to probe if his behaviour violated protocol.

"I have no complaint against anyone in this regard,", the minister told reporters.

Singh has dismissed the reports as "baseless" and said that the minister had entered through the back side of the venue which he had failed to notice.

The incident occurred on Saturday when the Home Minister arrived to attend the passing out parade of women police personnel at the Police Academy in Thrissur.

As soon as it was announced in the public address system that Chennithala had reached the venue, senior police officers on the dais stood up to receive him and saluted the minister.

ADGP Rishiraj Singh, in charge of special services and traffic, who was seated on a sofa, continued to do so and did not proceed to welcome the minister or salute him. After Chennithala left the venue, the official got up and left.

DGP T P Senkumar, who described Singh as a disciplined officer, told reporters here "if the officer had deliberately failed to salute the minister, that was not right. If it was an oversight, that needs to be corrected. On seeing a minister, it is the duty of a police officer to salute him. Do we address someone as 'sir' as per his rank?," he asked.

When the incident became a talking point in the social media, Singh dismissed the reports as "baseless".

The ADGP's photograph showing him seated went viral in social media and it was alleged that he had shown disrespect by not standing up and saluting the minister.

"The Facebook and Whatsapp postings are creating confusion among the public. When we are sitting on the dais facing the parade, the minister entered from behind. How will we see a person who is behind us? At the parade we are supposed to get up only when the national anthem is played", Singh had stated. 

Singh, a 1985 batch IPS officer, said "there were 15 Superintendents of Police along with other senior officers, including me. We were guests... as per protocol, those sitting in the gallery for watching the parade are supposed to stand only when the national anthem is played. Otherwise we are supposed to sit till the VVIP leaves."

There were media reports that Singh was reportedly peeved over his shifting from the post of Chief Vigilance Officer of Kerala State Electricity Board. However, Chennithala made it clear that the official was consulted before being given the new assignment.