Jayaram Padikkal

R. Jayaram Padikkal IPS was born in Peruvemba village Palghat in Kerala. Padikkal, son of an Indian Army officer had his education in Pune. A good hockey player, Padikkal was a voracious reader, especially history, crime and philosophy. Padikkal was Indian Police Service officer who took charge as the DIG of Kerala police on 14 Jan 1982. He was the youngest DIG in the country and was honoured with the President's Police Medal.

He was one of the most cruel and corrupt Police Officers in the history of Kerala police. He was accused in the "Rajan case" when a engineering college student from REC Calicut was tortured to death l during the Emergency. Jayaram Padikka was the DIG of crime branch of police during the incident. Mr. Padikkal was arrested and put into jail after the emergency period for the murder of Rajan. He was punished by the court but later used his money and influence to escape from the case in the appeal court. Rajan's father Prof. Eachara Varier fought for more than two decades for justice in this case and Mr. Padikkal was able to escape by his money and political relationships.

Mr. Padikkal is the inventor of the torturing method called "Ooruttal" used by Kerala police. The Govt had send him to Scotland Yard in UK for learning advanced investigation methods. He accumulated enormous amount of money by corruption. He maintained a very good relationship with the then Kerala Chief minister K. Karunakaran and used his money and influence to move ahead in the police force.

A book titled The Crime Diary of Jayaram Padikkal which is on the life and service period of the late DIG of Police has been published by author Venganoor Balakrishnan