Tamil Nadu top cop rejects ADGP’s claim of attempt on her life
DGP Shankar Jiwal dismissed claims by ADGP Kalpana Nayak that a fire in her office was arson linked to a recruitment scam, citing short circuit as cause.
Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) Shankar Jiwal on Monday rejected the complaint filed by senior IPS officer alleging that her office was gutted putting her life in danger after she exposed a police recruitment scam last year.

ADGP and a member of the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB), Kalpana Nayak had written to the DGP Jiwal and Greater Chennai police commissioner A Arun last August for an investigation into the “foul play” and “sabotage” in the case of a fire breaking out in her Chennai office minutes before she entered it last July.
The DGP responded on Monday that a detailed probe by the Central Crime Branch and a forensic analysis have concluded that short circuit was the reason for the fire and that there was “no wilful act of arson ruling out any planned threat” to her life. The TNUSRB also dismissed Nayak’s allegations and clarified on Monday that her recommendations were followed in the recruitment.
A case was registered on the same day her letter was received. Forensic experts and officials of the Tamil Nadu electricity board, housing corporation and independent experts began an inquiry into the matter before it was transferred to the CCB. Statements from 31 witnesses were recorded.
“The report of the forensic experts has opined that evidence of short circuit was noticed in copper wires,” the DGP said. “In addition, the forensic report states that, based on thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, the presence of any arson material like petrol, diesel or any other inflammable substances is ruled out.”
In response to the DGP and TNUSRB’s clarification that the fire was caused by a short circuit, opposition leaders of AIADMK and BJP said that police officials are also in danger for exposing corruption.
Edappadi Palaniswami charged if “murder” was the only solution to silence anyone who questions the DMK regime led by chief minister MK Stalin. “The allegations by an ADGP-rank officer is in fact a huge black mark on the police under Stalin’s regime,” EPS said.
“The DMK government must take full responsibility for this condemnable and shameful situation and provide necessary security for the officer,” he added.
On Monday in response to the police’s comment, Tamil Nadu’s BJP president K Annamalai alleged that the Tamil Nadu police wanted to brush away the incident by calling it a short circuit. “Even top police officials are not spared for speaking the uncomfortable truth that could expose the pathetic nature in which this Government is functioning,” Annamalai said.
“...the sequence of events leading to the fire make this theory unbelievable as ADGP Kalpana Nayak avl was kept out of the decision-making process, and her approval was not sought before publishing the revised list of sub-inspectors,” he added.
The Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board said that in 2023 they published a notification for conducting Joint Recruitment of 750 posts of Sub Inspectors of Police and Station Officers for the Fire and Rescue Services Departments.
In 2024, five candidates moved the Madras high court challenging the published provisional list and the community reservation adopted by the TNUSRB.
The high court passed orders directing the TNUSRB to make the required rectifications and to re-do the recruitment process and declare the final provisional select list. The TNUSRB complied with the order and uploaded the revised selection list in October 2024.
“Thereby, the misinterpretation (in reservation) by the TNUSRB was rectified following the directions of the Hon’ble High Court of Madras,” TNUSRB said in a statement.
“The recommendations made by the then ADGP were duly considered while redoing the process of recruitment including the issue of Communal Roster. Hence the allegations made out do not stand true,” it added.