KOCHI: According to seniority, I have 32 years of service and should be made the state police chief, said former vigilance director Jacob Thomas. The government should execute justice as per the order of the tribunal. Talking to a media, he said that if denial of justice continues, the stance of the centre would be crucial. Meantime, Thomas sent a letter to the chief secretary and department of public administration to take a decision in the order in reinstating him into service.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had the other day cancelled government’s order suspending him on June 18 for six months. He should be reinstated in an appropriate post of equivalent rank. The tribunal’s administrative member E K Bharat Bhushan and judicial member Ashish Kalia said that if he cannot be appointed in police or related branches, he should be appointed to other posts of equal rank.

Jacob Thomas’ plea questioning the suspension order was considered yesterday. He was suspended for a year on December 19 in 2017 for criticizing the activities of the government in Ockhi disaster. A plea filed against this was considered by the CAT. The second suspension was for his alleged malpractice as the director of ports in purchasing costly dredging equipment. After six months, the suspension was extended by the chief secretary.

The suspension was extended pointing vigilance probe after anomalies found by the finance department in buying dredger. However, Thomas filed a plea mentioning that the Moovattupuzha Vigilance Court had found that there is no truth in it and extending his suspension was like challenging the judicial decision.

Thomas reacted saying the order of the tribunal proves that voice against corruption has not stopped in Kerala.