Kerala's Vigilance Chief about to pay price for taking on bureaucrats?
- IAS officers have come out against Jacob Thomas following his stand in cases against top officials
- A petition is pending before High Court seeking probe against the Vigilance Chief in a land deal
- State government is likely to review its decision following some observations by High Court
FollowThe State government is likely to remove Vigilance Chief Jacob Thomas from the post with discontent brewing against him over the handling of cases against top bureaucrats. Meanwhile, there are reports that Thomas was involved in a benami land deal.
It is learned that the state government is reviewing its decision to allow Thomas to continue in the post of Vigilance director following some observations by the High Court. The government might award an equivalent post to him.
CPM leaders are not happy with the Vigilance stand against E P Jayarajan and T P Dasan in nepotism row and Sports Lottery deal respectively. Vigilance has submitted a FIR before the court naming Dasan as the prime accused in lottery deal.
Party leaders and IAS Officers Association have openly come out against Jacob.
The Vigilance Director is also facing some allegations like irregularities in drudger deal and involvement in the purchase of 50 acres of land in Tamil Nadu.
A petition was filed before Kerala High Court seeking a probe into a land deal in Tamil Nadu. As per the sale deal of the property in Sethur village states that the 50.33 acres of land was purchased from 33 persons by Jacob Thomas, as the director of ISRA Agro Tech Systems.
Incidentally, the address of ISRA Agro Tech is shared by another company, Princy World Travels and has two other persons as the directors and not Jacob Thomas. It is alleged that ISRA Agro Tech Systems is a company floated for land transactions.
The petition before High Court states that the property was purchased by Jacob Thomas, but has not mentioned it in his declaration filed before Union Government.
