TN sends list of top cops to UPSC

CHENNAI: Complying with the recent high court order on the selection of the state police chief, the Tamil Nadu government has sent the names of all five DGP-level officials in the state cadre to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to shortlist three for final empanelment.
Causing a major embarrassment to the state, the Madras high court had set aside Letika Saran's appointment as state director general of police (law and order) on October 8 and observed that her selection was done in total violation of the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court.
The court had ordered the state to send the list of names to the UPSC before October 26. The UPSC has to send the final list of three names to the state. The TN government has to complete the process of proper selection of the DGP by December 7. Till then, Letika has been allowed to continue in the post.
Those on the list sent to the UPSC are R Nataraj, K Vijaykumar, Letika Saran, Bhola Nath and Thilakavathi. While Nataraj is retiring on March 13, 2011, Vijaykumar will be in service till September 15, 2012. Letika Saran, the third senior-most on the list, is due for retirement on March 31, 2012. Bhola Nath, who heads the vigilance unit, is due for retirement on January 3, 2013 and G Thilakavathi on March 10, 2011.