THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vigilance director Jacob Thomas has shot off a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accusing the finance department of acting with vengeance. In the letter, a copy of which was also submitted to chief secretary, the vigilance director said that only files pertaining to departments previously presided over by him were being examined by the finance inspection wing. It was causing mental strain, he said.
The letter comes close on the heels of vigilance giving a clean chit to finance secretary K.M. Abraham. The allegation against Jacob Thomas is that as director of ports department he had caused losses to the department in the purchase of costly equipment including dredgers. The finance inspection wing has raised objections regarding the purchase saying these were done without calling for global tenders. Sources said the finance inspection wing had found some irregularities in the preliminary inquiry. The finance department is likely to submit the final report on Tuesday which is likely to contain some findings against the vigilance director and recommendation for action against him.
Mr Thomas has accused the finance inspection wing of retribution. He is understood to have referred to the vigilance inquiry against finance secretary K.M. Abraham, while levelling allegations of suspected vengeful attitude of the finance department. The vigilance director alleged that the finance inspection wing was showing undue interest in the departments where he had served. Why is the finance department not showing similar in other departments? he asked.
Mr Thomas’ letter comes close on the heels of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) giving a clean chit to Mr Abraham in connection with the allegations of amassment of illegal wealth. According to the VACB's report, there was no sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations against Mr. Abraham and hence there was no scope for registering a case or conducting further investigation. VACB Thiruvananthapuram special cell SP S Rajendran, who conducted the preliminary enquiry, had submitted the report at the court on Wednesday.
