DGP Jacob Thomas quits, set to contest LS polls

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's Director General of Police Jacob Thomas, currently in suspension since December 2017, has put in his papers so as to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

Jacob Thomas had another 18 months to go for retirement. The resignation has been forwarded to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office and to the Centre.

According to Sabu M Jacob, Managing Director of Anna-Kitex group of companies, based near here, who spearheads the Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam, a corporate social responsibility initiative of the Rs 1,500 crore Anna-Kitex, told IANS that Thomas will contest under the Twenty 20 banner from Chalakudy in Thrissur district .

Nineteen members of Twenty20 contested the Kizhakkambalam Panchayat elections in 2015 as independents, where the company is based, and 17 of them won.

The 1985-batch IPS officer was once the reputed blue-eyed boy of Pinarayi. But he was suspended in 2017 on charges of violating the All India Service Rules.

Thomas is expected to announce his candidature on Sunday.

Also read: Election Calendar

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.

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.