Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala has sought to cancel all the direct appointments in the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) made by State Police Chief Loknath Behera, claiming that they are against the guidelines stipulated in the Vigilance manual.
Mr. Chennithala told the media here on Thursday that it was the job of the VACB Director to make appointments in its various units.
As per the manual, the VACB Director seeks the consent of those proposed to be appointed and checks their credibility and integrity. Their list is later passed on to the State Police Chief, who allots them to the VACB Director. The postings are later done by the Director.
Mr. Behera had snatched these rights and appointed his own loyalists in various posts. This had put the organisation’s credibility at risk even as prominent leaders in the Opposition, such as former Ministers V.S. Sivakumar and V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, were being targeted by the VACB officials.
“VACB officials have the right to probe corruption cases even against senior police officers and here Mr. Behera, who himself has been accused of corruption, is appointing them,” Mr. Chennithala said. The Opposition leader demanded that fresh appointments be made to the VACB.
