Thomas has been under suspension from service since December 2017.
Thomas has been under suspension from service since December 2017.
Thomas has been under suspension from service since December 2017.
Thiruvananthapuram: Suspended IPS officer Jacob Thomas is planning to contest the general elections, sources close to him have said. He might opt for voluntary retirement as government officials are not allowed to fight elections. He may test his electoral fortunes from two constituencies in Kerala - one in the south and another in the north.
The 1985-batch IPS officer, the senior-most in the Kerala cadre, can remain in service for a year-and-a-half more. The entry into the poll fray is seen as a part of his bid to highlight corruption in government establishments.
Thomas has apparently told his well-wishers that he was jumping into the poll fray to protest against the policies of the central and state governments. He is hopeful that the people would stand by him.
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Thomas has been under suspension from service since December 2017, when he criticised the state government’s rescue operations during the devastation caused by Cyclone Ockhi. Six months later his suspension was renewed when he wrote a book critical of the government.
The third suspension was related to a Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau probe into the purchase of dredgers overseen by Thomas as the ports director. Though Thomas complained to the central government and the Central Administrative Tribunal about the chain of suspensions, he said that he was yet to hear from them. A civil service officer cannot be suspended for more than one month without permission from the central government.
Thomas was not available for comment.