Jacob Thomas Seeks Details of CBI Consent to Probe Charges

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas wrote to CBI director Ranjit Sinha, to know whether the CBI declaration against him for taking up a paid assignment in violation of service rules, was conducted with Sinha’s knowledge.
In his letter forwarded to Sinha through Chief Secretary S M Vijayanand, Thomas also questioned the procedure of submitting affidavit against a DGP rank officer by CBI before the High Court. Jacob Thomas wrote the letter
just a day after the CBI informed the High Court of its willingness to initiate a probe into the allegation that Thomas took up a paid assignment in a private institution after availing leave from government service.
Sathyan Naravoor of Koothuparambu in Kannur district raised the charges in a petition, alleging abuse of official position and criminal misconduct by a senior public servant for his personal benefit.
In the petition it is said that Thomas took three months’ leave from the service to join as a director of TKM institute of Management at Kollam, for which he received a monthly remuneration of `1,69,500 and availed other facilities.
Though the then Vigilance gave a clean chit to Thomas, who was willing to return the payment, the petitioner claimed the inquiry was not conducted transparently. Thomas has been facing allegations of corruption and abuse of power from various quarters over the last few days.