New book by top Kerala cop praises Vijayan, blasts Chandy

A new book written by a top Kerala Police official has heaped praise on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but has blasted former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The book, titled 'Sravukelku Opam Neenthumpol' (Swimming With The Sharks) and written by Director General of Police Jacob Thomas, will be released here on Monday by Vijayan. It tells the tale of Thomas's police service.

Thomas, known for taking tough stances throughout his career, was last seen in police uniform in the late 1990s and since then was mostly placed in non-policing jobs. When the Chandy administration posted him out of the Vigilance Department, he was unhappy.

It was Vijayan who, after becoming Chief Minister in May last year, brought Thomas back as head of the Vigilance Department.

His department went after former Excise Minister K. Babu and former Finance Minister K.M. Mani, who are facing a vigilance probe over a bar bribery scam. The two were subjected to questioning and raids were also conducted as part of the probe.

In his book, Thomas says that he was moved out of the vigilance department because those in the higher echelons of power did not wish the truth to come out.

Babu, a five-time Congress legislator and close aide of Chandy, finds mention in his book through the details of the bar scam and the probe.

Giving a clean chit to former Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, he says that Chennithala never intervened in the probe.

Thomas also finds fault in the manner in which Chandy held a press conference to belittle him in front of the public.

But talking about Vijayan, he said he always wanted Vijayan to be the Chief Minister.

After becoming Chief Minister, Vijayan has gone a long way to defend Thomas. It won't come as a surprise to see Thomas in police uniform again after the present state police chief T.P. Senkumar retires on June 30.

--IANS

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