The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Salem News : Mystery of `missing DSP case' resolved

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Salem

Mystery of `missing DSP case' resolved

Tamil Nadu Bureau

Allegation against former Salem SP Maniratnam's letter and wife levelled serious allegation against SP Pon. Manickavel

TRACED: The Salem DSP, Manirathnam (centre), with the DGP, A. X. Alexander, before whom he was produced in Chennai on Tuesday. — Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

SALEM: The `drama of the missing Deputy Superintendent of Police', which came to an end on Monday after 17 days, has caused considerable embarrassment to senior police officials in the State.

Maniratnam, DSP at Omalur in Salem district, "disappeared" on April 23 from the Salem New Integrated Bus stand, alleging harassment by the then Salem (Rural) Superintendent of Police, Pon. Manickavel.

He sent letters to department higher-ups, levelling serious allegations against the SP and even threatened to commit suicide.

`Secret letter'

Copies of his "secret letter", however, were made available to "few other SPs in various districts."

Top police officials issued strict instructions to officialsto keep his letter a secret.Inside sources confirmed that it carried several critical comments on Mr. Manickavel, who, incidentally, won the State's best performance award for three consecutive years for eradicating illicit liquor in the district.

But the department faced further embarrassment when the DSP's wife, after preferring a complaint at a Salem police station, spoke to the media, accusing a "senior district official" of harassment. This, she claimed, provoked her husband to go "missing".

The State, meanwhile, transferred Mr. Manickavel but he is yet to be given a posting.

17 teams formed

Seventeen special teams were formed to trace Mr. Maniratnam, following instructions from higher officials in Chennai. The teams conducted searches in his hometown, Namakkal, Mettupalayam, Udhagamandalam, Sathyamangalam, Virudhunagar and Bangalore. "We wasted precious time searching for this official who neither informed the department nor furnished any leave letter for his absence. Pressure from his family members and friends in the department may have forced him to surface," said a senior official and member in the special party.

One-time colleague and Sathyamangalam DSP Mohan Niwas reportedly traced him at Bhavani on Monday. But no local official was aware of this development.

Meets DGP Alexander

Mr. Maniratnam was produced before the Director General of Police, A.X. Alexander, on Tuesday.

The DSP was taken to his hometown, Namakkal, and brought to Chennai with his wife, Dhanalakshmi by road. The Erode Superintendent of Police, P. Balasubramaniam, and other police officials accompanied them.

The DGP has sought a written explanation for the unauthorised absence and asked him to join duty immediately.

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Mystery of `missing DSP case' resolved