Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Crime Branch has filed a chargesheet in the magistrate court against Jacob Thomas, former DGP and Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Wing Director, allegedly for publicising official secrets through his much controversial book 'Sravukalkoppam Neenthumbol'.
The move came 14 months after the previous Pinarayi Vijayan Government had ordered his prosecution in the case. Curiously, it was for the first time that an IPS officer of DGP rank was suspended first and then chargesheeted after retirement.
Jacob Thomas was slapped with charges under Section 4 of the Police Forces Restriction of Rights Act. If proved, he can be punished for a maximum imprisonment of two-years and a fine up to Rs.2,000.
The Section 4 of the Act prohibits IPS officers from writing books or speaking to the media without the sanction of the government. Only biographical sketches and scientific reasoning are allowed in such books.
Crime branch finds faults with his book in 11 places
According to the Crime Branch chargesheet, the contents of his biography are found to be written in violation of rules and procedures.
The Crime Branch said that official secrets were divulged to the public at 11 places in the book. The Crime Branch had marked them and given as exhibits in the Thiruvananthapuram Magistrate Court-II along with the chargesheet.
The Crime Branch also kept the royalty documents of the book as a proof in the chargesheet. But it could not produce any proof to show that any kind of remuneration was received by Jacob Thomas for writing the book.
Earlier, an inquiry committee led by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) had found that the comments given in his book, criticising the State Government's stand on Okhi disaster, bar bribery case and nepotism case linking former Minister E.P.Jayarajan, amounted to publicising official secrets.
Delaying tactics by Crime Branch
It was in December, 2017 that Jacob Thomas was suspended from the service on charges of publically criticising the State Government. Three years later and just three months prior to his retirement, the permission for his prosecution was given in May, 2020. But the Crime Branch did not file the chargesheet then. It asked for more clarifications on certain aspects and delayed filing the chargesheet.
The then DGP (Crime Branch) Deva Manohar sought legal advice from the Prosecution Director General in the matter. Even after getting the legal advice, the Crime Branch sat on it for long. By this time, Jacob Thomas retired from service. He joined BJP and fought the last Assembly polls from Irinjalakuda Assembly constituency unsuccessfully.
The chargesheet was submitted by SP Prakash Kani, who is holding the additional charge of the Thiruvananthapuram Crime Branch unit.
Friend-turned-foe of Pinarayi
During the first leg of the first Pinarayi Government, Jacob Thomas was considered as the corruption-free mascot of the government. He seemed to be very close to the Chief Minister. But the bonhomie did not last long as Jacob Thomas, as the Vigilance Director, acted against the then Industries Minister E P Jayarajan. Later, he was suspended for allegedly criticising the government in connection with the Okhi disaster.
Jacob Thomas was given suspension four times. The attempt was also made to demote him as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). The Central Government did allow him to opt for VRS after the State Government took strong objection to it.