Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Saturday sought the State government's response to a plea by former Director General of Police Tomin J Thachankary seeking permission to travel abroad to rejoin his employment in the UAE.

Thachankary has sought modification of the conditions imposed by the High Court while suspending the sentence awarded to him in a disproportionate assets case.

On October 15, the High Court suspended the four-year prison sentence imposed on him by the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance), Kottayam, and granted him bail. One of the conditions stipulated that he should not leave India without the court's permission.

When the plea came up for consideration on Saturday, Justice A Badharudeen observed that the prosecution's objections had to be heard before a decision could be taken. The court posted the matter to November 2 for further consideration. The judge also orally observed that Thachankary had been granted bail only recently.

The Special Judge had convicted Thachankary under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and sentenced him to four years in prison and imposed a fine of ₹30.84 lakh.

In his plea, Thachankary said he had complied with the other conditions imposed by the High Court, including depositing 75% of the fine amount. He submitted that he had been employed in the UAE for the past three years following his retirement and needed to return to work.

He also pointed out that he had been permitted to travel abroad during the trial. Claiming that he was not a flight risk, Thachankary said he had attended 66 sittings of the trial court and had neither misused his liberty nor attempted to abscond.
(With LiveLaw inputs.)