Paul case: Police at the receiving end

Arjun Raghunath I ENSFirst Published : 22 Jan 2010 01:00:48 PM ISTLast Updated :

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is not just the credibility of the entire state police, but the credibility of a senior police officer that has been put on a litmus test with the High Court ordering a CBI probe into the Paul Muthoot George murder case.


IG Vinson M.Paul, who has been spearheading the investigation into the case, has been known for his integrity and probe skills. And, it is probably for this reason that the Government also `bravely’ welcomed a probe by any agency into the sensational murder case.

But the adverse observations made by the High Court regarding the probe, especially the impropriety in the press conference held by Vinson Paul on August 24, 2009 to brief about the case, has indeed shaken the integrity of the officer in the public.

Sources in the Police Department, however, say that Vinson Paul, who is IG Ernakulam Range, had addressed the press conference at the insistence of his higher-ups. It was Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan himself who had forced the police to hold a press conference and reveal the findings of the probe.

On August 23, 2009, two days after the murder of Paul George, the Home Minister told reporters that the police had received a clear picture about the murder and it would be divulged by the police the next day.

Subsequently, the police was forced to hold the controversial press conference. On August 24, Vinson Paul was in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with P.Chandrasekharan assuming charge as ADGP South Zone. By afternoon, Vinson Paul was directed by a superior officer to brief the mediapersons who had, by that time, assembled at the Alappuzha district police office.

``Vinson Paul had to even skip his lunch so that he could rush to Alappuzha. Since the mediapersons had already occupied the SP’s office, the IG could not even hold a brief discussion with the investigating officer, but was forced to land straight into the mouth of the eagerly awaiting journalists,’’ sources close to the IG said.

The adverse remarks of the High Court is also a backlash to the State Government which has been expressing confidence in the police probe.

Meanwhile, resentment is brewing among a major section in the police force on handing over cases to the CBI.

“Both the LDF and the UDF have the same strategy - to praise the police while in power and tarnish the force while in the Opposition. They are least concerned about its effect on the morale of the force,’’ lamented a senior police officer.