Former DGP Tomin Thachankary found guilty in disproportionate assets case

Kottayam: Retired Director General of Police (DGP) Tomin J Thachankary has been found guilty by the Kottayam Vigilance Court in a long-standing disproportionate assets case.

The case relates to the accumulation of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income between January 1, 2003 and July 7, 2007. According to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Thachankary had amassed assets worth ₹64 lakh in excess of his known sources of income. The probe found that his assets were 135% higher than his known sources of income, and the prosecution alleged that he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or proof for the additional income.

The vigilance probe began when Thachankary was promoted as a Deputy Inspector General (DIG). The case also involved allegations that the state exchequer suffered losses due to evasion of stamp duty in various land transactions.

The VACB filed the chargesheet in 2013, more than a decade ago. The case was initially heard by the Thrissur Vigilance Court before being transferred to the Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court and later to the Kottayam Vigilance Court. The Kerala High Court had intervened to expedite the trial.

Thachankary had challenged the proceedings before the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court, seeking a reinvestigation into the allegations. Both courts dismissed his pleas, allowing the trial to proceed.

During the trial, Thachankary also sought to be discharged from the case, arguing that the assets under scrutiny were ancestral properties inherited from his parents. The court rejected his arguments.

Vigilance Public Prosecutor KK Sreekanth appeared for the prosecution. The court is expected to pronounce the sentence at 2 pm.