Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has not responded to repeated requests from the Centre for a vigilance report on Director General of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services and DGP (Director General of Police) Yogesh Gupta, who sought Central deputation. In fact, the Union Home Ministry initially asked for the report one and a half months ago, and sent seven reminders to the state to no avail.

The State Police Chief, S Darvesh Sahib, submitted a favourable report to the state government during the first week of May, which said that Gupta faces no vigilance cases or other procedures. The state government was supposed to send a favourable report to the Centre based on the police chief’s communication. Though the report of the police chiefs of other states is accepted by the Centre, in Kerala, the Chief Secretary has been replying to the Centre as per the existing norms.

The Centre’s first communication was sent to the state on April 24 as part of the procedures to prepare a list to appoint the director general or equivalent posts in agencies under the Union Home Ministry. Gupta was the only officer from Kerala whose details were sought by the Centre, as he had previously worked with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). Seven more letters from the Centre followed, as there was no response from Kerala. In the last letter, the Centre has reportedly informed the state that the list was delayed because Kerala had not sent Gupta’s report.

Meanwhile, political observers feel that the state was delaying action on the report due to dissatisfaction over several of Gupta's decisions. Gupta was shifted to the post of chief of Fire and Rescue a mere nine months after he took over as Vigilance Director. Though all the other Indian Police Service (IPS) officers who were transferred along with him were reinstated in their previous positions within a week, Gupta continued as Fire and Rescue chief.