Thiruvananthapuram: Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Jacob Thomas has gone on a month-long leave, following which DGP Loknath Behra has been given additional charge of the vigilance bureau.
Jacob Thomas was seen as an anti-corruption crusader, especially over his stand in the bar bribe case against KM Mani during the last UDF government. However, there were corruption allegations against Thomas, too, but Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was seen supporting him.
While hearing a case last month on the appointment of N Shanker Reddy as vigilance director by the previous UDF government, the high court had wondered 'if a vigilance raj' prevailed in the state.
The court had also recently asked why the government was not removing the official and how it could go forward with him.
The Congress-led opposition UDF had come out against Thomas and said due to the tussle between the IPS officer and senior IAS officers, the state administration had come to a standstill.
Thomas's stand on a case of nepotism against former Industries Minister EP Jayarajan had invited the ire of ruling CPI(M) also.
Two additional chief secretaries, KM Abraham and Tom Jose, too, had lodged a complaint with the chief minister against Thomas after vigilance department conducted raids on their residences in disproportionate assets case.
They had asserted that the raids were meant only to insult them publicly.
(With PTI inputs)
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