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Upadhyay placed under suspension

CHENNAI: S.K. Upadhyay, former Director, Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, who was involved in a phone tapping controversy, was placed under suspension on Thursday night.

A couple of days after the Shanmugham Commission of enquiry that investigated the phone tapping episode submitted its report to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, the government suspended the top police official and two other staff members pending enquiry, highly placed police sources told The Hindu.

A day after the Commission submitted its interim report on May 19, the 1976 batch IPS officer was transferred out without a posting.

The issue involves a telephonic conversation between Mr. Upadhyay and Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy, the transcript of which was leaked to a section of the media. Also, a telephonic conversation between the DVAC Director and the then Minister for Social Welfare Poongothai Aladi Aruna was leaked to the press. Dr. Aruna was heard talking to Mr. Upadhyay regarding a corruption case involving her relative. Later, she resigned from the Cabinet.

“No charges have been framed yet. It is not clear whether the suspension follows the recommendations of the Shanmugham Commission’s report or whether he was indicted by it. The report was kept strictly confidential and was to have been discussed by the Cabinet,” a senior police official said.

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