KOZHIKODE: Extending his wholehearted support to Vigilance Chief Jacob Thomas, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the government holds full faith in him.
"We still have faith in the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Jacob Thomas and that is the reason why he is continuing in the post", Vijayan said.
"Some of the points mentioned in the report submitted by the Chief Secretary against the Vigilance Director are true. The government has sought legal advice for clarification on those points", he told reporters at Kozhikode.
The CM on Friday had sought advice of the Director General of Prosecution (DGP) on a recommendation for a probe into a contract issued during Jacob Thomas' tenure as Ports Director that caused a loss to the exchequer.
Vijayan said the LDF Government would not tolerate corruption regardless of the people involved. "The government will not protect corrupt officials. The state government would not tolerate red-tapism in the administration", he said.
The CM also asserted the Government has not maintained silence on the Kerala Law Academy issue. Vijayan pointed out the LDF government has taken necessary action on a complaint by the family of Jishnu Pranoy who had committed suicide allegedly due to harassment.
“We have taken a considerate approach towards the issue. The Cabinet met on the fifth day of his death and decided to give a solatium of Rs 10 lakh to the family. Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan directly handed over the money,” Pinarayi said. “I couldn’t visit them due to busy schedule,” he added.
The clarification comes in the wake of an open letter by the mother of the deceased arguing the government has not shown interest in investigating the death of her son.