» Kerala chief secretary S.M. Vijayanand recommends removal of vigilance chief Jacob Thomas
» Recommendation on the basis of a report by finance secretary K.M. Abraham
» The report said Jacob Thomas had caused a loss of Rs 15 crore to the exchequer when he was the director of the ports
» The finance secretary had sought a high-level probe
» Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeks opinion of director-general of prosecution
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday sought legal advice on a recommendation for a probe into a contract issued during Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau director Jacob Thomas' earlier posting that caused a loss to the exchequer.
Vijayan forwarded the report, submitted by chief secretary S.M. Vijayanand in December last, to the director general of prosecution for advice.
The report prepared by the Finance Department headed by additional chief secretary K.M. Abraham suggested removal of Thomas from the present post.
Senior Indian Police Service officer Thomas, as ports director a few years ago, was accused of causing financial loss to the state.
The relations between Indian Administrative Service officials and Thomas are not good, with the former last month announcing daylong leave to protest Thomas' alleged vendetta against top IAS officials. The protest was, however, called off after Vijayan intervened.
After the Vigilance Department conducted searches at the residences of K.M. Abraham and additional chief secretary (labour) Tom Jose in 2016, IAS officers in Kerala are up in arms against Thomas.