IG Jayaraj exonerated of all charges

Thiruvananthapuram: The government has exonerated IG E J Jayaraj of all the charges of official misconduct and dereliction of duty levelled against him. The officer was facing serious disciplinary charges for misbehaving in a drunken stupor in public along with his driver Santhosh, and thereby lowering the image of state police force before the public.
According to the order issued by the chief secretary in this regard on June 3, the hearing officer for the disciplinary proceedings and principal secretary A Jayathilak found that none of the charges against E J Jayaraj stand proven and recommended the government to exonerate the officer of all the charges.
Interestingly, the previous inquiring officer, DGP N Shanker Reddy, had on August 6, 2018, submitted his findings against the officer stating that the charges against the officer stand proven. On the basis of the report, the government had reached a conclusion that the officer stands proven for misconduct and dereliction of duty. As penalty, the government had then decided to punish the officer with increment bar for one year, and had informed the Union Public Service Commission for its advice in the matter.
The commission had returned the proposal for awarding the penalty to the officer and also directed the government to grant one more chance for a personal hearing for the accused. However, Jayaraj refused to be heard by the same authority who had found him guilty of charges. The government then decided to appoint A Jayathilak as the fresh inquiring authority, who then heard the officer and submitted a report to the government, absolving him of the charges.
The incident happened in October 2017, when Jayaraj’s official vehicle was apprehended by the police after it was found recklessly moving around near Anchal in Kollam. The officer and his driver were found in an inebriated condition. A blood test conducted on them found heavy alcohol content. State police chief Loknath Behera reported to the government that the actions of the IG were grave and brought disgrace to the police force and strong disciplinary action should be taken. The officer was then suspended from service pending an inquiry. In June 2018, a suspension review committee revoked his suspension and reinstated him in service, with the recommendation that he should be posted to an insignificant post. However, disciplinary proceedings continued against the officer.
Jayaraj is currently IG (crime branch), Kozhikode. He is due to retire in May 2021.