Tomin Thachankary gets four-year jail term in disproportionate assets case; no leniency can be granted, says court

KOTTAYAM: Former DGP Tomin Thachankary has been sentenced to four years in prison in a disproportionate assets case. A fine of Rs Rs 30,84,892 has also been imposed on him. The verdict was delivered by the Kottayam Vigilance Court. The court had earlier found him guilty. Pronouncing the verdict, the court observed that since the accused had held a top post in the state police force, they are not entitled to any leniency in punishment. Thachankary will be taken into police custody and shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Central Jail. He is the first officer of DGP rank to be convicted and sentenced in a corruption case.

The case is that Thachankary had amassed illegal assets worth Rs 64.70 lakh during his official tenure from January 2003 to July 2007. A vigilance investigation found expenditure amounting to this sum, but Thachankary was unable to account for the corresponding income. The investigating team found that during the period under scrutiny, he had acquired assets 135.80 percent in excess of his known sources of income.

The investigation was initiated based on a complaint filed by Bobby Kuruvila, alleging that Thachankary had acquired houses, flats, properties and other assets disproportionate to his income while in service. After Thachankary was promoted to the rank of DIG in 2007, the investigation was conducted under the leadership of a DySP. By the time the chargesheet was filed, Thachankary had risen to the position of additional director general of police in the state police.

The prosecution examined several witnesses, including a former joint secretary of the home department. The defence examined a former additional chief secretary, a former additional DGP, income tax officials and Thachankary’s sister as defence witnesses.