Date:26/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/26/stories/2005052615650400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Four SPs for Kancheepuram in one year

V. Venkatasubramanian

A. Amalraj takes over from R. Samuthirapandi

KANCHEEPURAM: The Kancheepuram district police has achieved the distinction of having four senior officers as its Superintendents of Police within a year. A. Amalraj took over from R. Samuthirapandi on Wednesday.

K. Prem Kumar, who took over as the SP from E. Masanamuthu in June 2004, was transferred to Cuddalore in September 2004. Following his transfer, S. Davidson assumed charge. He initially took up investigation into the Sankararaman murder case, and in November 2004, the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, was arrested at Mahboobnagar near Hyderabad.

As the interrogation and investigation went into top gear, Mr. Prem Kumar was once again appointed Kancheepuram SP as Mr. Davidson `went on leave' within a fortnight of the arrest of the Sankaracharya.

After the charge sheet was filed on January 21, 2005 and the case was committed to the District Sessions Court on April 13, Mr. Prem Kumar was transferred to Chennai as SP, Crime Branch III, soon after the Election Commission announced Kancheepuram byelection. Mr. Samuthirapandi then assumed charge as the new SP.

Mr. Amalraj, a 1996 IPS batch officer, joined the Tamil Nadu Police as Additional SP in Tirupur when Mr. Samuthirapandi worked as Deputy Superintendent, Tirupur.