Thiruvananthapuram: Vigilance director Jacob Thomas has sought to be relieved of his post at a critical phase of high-profile anti-graft investigations.He has cited ‘personal reasons’, though only the day he said he will not be cowed down by baseless allegations. Mr. Thomas called on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday and requested that he be given another posting, though barely five months after taking over as the Vigilance chief.
Mr Vijayan wanted him to reconsider but Mr Thomas requested immediate discharge, acco0rding to sources. He tendered a written representation to the CM and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Nalini Netto. The Chief Minister is likely to take a decision by Wednesday. Several officers, besides politicians, against whom Mr Thomas initiated action, had approached the Government, alleging that he was being vindictive. Recently, there were reports of finance inspection wing detecting irregularities to the tune of couple of crores in the ports department while Mr. Thomas was the Ports director.
Expenditure irregularities pertained to installation of solar panels and the purchase of laptop computers. However, Mr. Thomas reacted, saying that vested interests were targeting him and he would not succumb to any such pressures. A top Government seemed to empathise with Mr Thomas, saying no officer would be able to tolerate the kind of attacks directed at him by various quarters. A section of IAS officers had expressed displeasure to the government over Mr Thomas initiating probes against senior officers. The IAS officers had also called on Chief Minister in this regard.
Chief Information Commissioner and former vigilance director Vinson M Paul had submitted a representation to the Chief Minister against a report filed by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau stating that Vigilance SP R Sukesan decided to refer the bar bribery case against K M Mani as per Vinson Paul's direction. Another former Vigilance director Shanker Reddy had approached the high court against a similar remark against him.
