Top Kerala police official's remarks cause flutter

Senior Kerala police official Jacob Thomas, who holds rank of director general of police and was asked an explanation for a tongue in cheek remark last week, Friday fired another salvo forcing top officials and even Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to take a tough stand against him.

On Friday, he told the media that the truth has triumphed. "Satyameva Jayate," he said in reference to Thursday's Special Vigilance Court order quashing the clean chit given by the vigilance department to state Finance Minister K.M. Mani in the bar scam case.

He went on to add that he has no bar on speaking to the media and added that he carries with him a sticking tape (which he displayed) to mask his mouth, in case he wishes not to speak.

Thomas who has become a sought after by the media ever since he was moved out of the Vigilance department has been regularly causing embarrassment to the government.

In the past few months has been shifted from the Vigilance to the Kerala Fire and Rescue Forces and following an order that he brought out regarding to the security aspects of high rise buildings, he was transferred to the Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation in afew weeks.

His Friday statement after last week, he was served a notice to explain on how he could speak to the media without prior permission.

Thomas on Friday hit out at his fellow director general of police who heads the law and order department T.P.Senkumar, who said that Thomas was never part of the investigation team in the bar scam case, when he was in the vigilance department.

"Like him (Senkumar), I also am an IPS officer," he said.

A peeved Chandy when asked about the statement's of Thomas,said: "Not to worry, I will deal him." He declined to elaborate.

State Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson also said Thomas' statements are causing an embarrassment to the government.