The Kerala government has reportedly decided to strip Director General of Police (DGP) Jacob Thomas of his rank. The state may demote him to the rank of Additional Director General of Police.
Jacob Thomas, however, told TNM that he has not got any official communication in this regard.
“If the news about it is true, that would be the punishment for acting tough while I worked with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). An officer who takes stern action against corruption would be faced with such torture. This would be the reward for me taking action against corruption without regard to whoever was involved in it. If I had worked like how the VACB works now, I wouldn't have faced any of this,” he said.
Jacob Thomas had worked with the VACB twice as ADGP during the tenure of the previous United Democratic Front government led by Oommen Chandy and later as Director during the time of the incumbent Left government.
“The current functioning of the VACB is such that it doesn't take any strong action against the biggies. They would turn a blind eye to the corruption happening around. Who all have been punished for the cracks found on the Palarivatoom flyover and for the violation of norms in building the apartments at Maradu? The VACB might have acted against some ordinary officers in both, not against the ones who are the real culprits. If an officer acted against corruption that would prove disastrous for the state, he would be faced with such consequences,” he said.
Jacob Thomas is currently working as Managing Director of The Metal Industries Limited.
According to a report in Mathrubhumi, it has been found in an inquiry led by former additional Chief Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan that Jacob Thomas had breached service rules by authoring a book while in service.