THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In much needed respite for DGP Jacob Thomas, he has been given a clean chit by the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) on allegations of amassing disproportionate assets. The clean chit to its former director comes in the form of a primary investigation report submitted by the officers of a special investigation unit of VACB based in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
Last Monday, the vigilance headquarters received a complaint from an activist Sathyan Naravoor stating that Thomas had purchased 50 acres of land at Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu in the name of a Kochi-based private company in which he was reportedly the director in 2001.
The complaint stated that Thomas had bought the land after amassing wealth through illegal sources. A primary examination revealed that there was no evidence to substantiate the allegations. The report surmised that the complaint lacked authenticity and merit as the complainant had failed to present any evidence.
The complainant also alleged that Thomas had not divulged the details of this purchase to the government as required by norms applicable to All-India Service officials. According to rule 16 (2) of all India service conduct rules, 1968, details of all immovable properties of officers - whether owned, acquired or leased by them - should be submitted to the government. According to his latest disclosure of assets, Jacob Thomas has assets worth Rs 37.95 crore which made him the richest serving IPS officer in the state, the complaint added.
It has also been pointed out that the complainant Sathyan Naravoor had made similar complaints against Jacob Thomas in the past too.
The complaint was filed last Monday, the same day that Thomas had returned to service after a long leave of two-and-half months, and took over as Director General of the Institute of Management in Government (IMG).
Thomas had been asked to go on leave in late March when he was Vigilance director, following criticism from the High Court over a tussle between the IPS officer and senior IAS officers whom he was investigating.