Thachankary cannot be promoted as DGP: Govt tells CAT

Kerala Government has informed the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) here that controversial IPS officer Tomin J Thachankary cannot be promoted as Director General of Police (DGP) since disciplinary proceedings were pending against him.

The statement in this regard was made by the government yesterday before the CAT bench on a plea by Thachankary, IGP, seeking promotion as DGP.

The Central government had given sanction to prosecute Thanchankary in a case related to amassing of wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income registered by Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau, it was stated.

There were a series of allegations against Thachankary, besides criminal and vigilance cases.

The National Investigation Agency had also probed the official on charges of his meeting people with 'doubtful credentials' while on a trip to the gulf countries, for which he had not taken the government's prior permission, the government stated.

The government submitted that following the instruction issued by the Union Department for Personnel and Training, promotion could not be granted to Thachankary as disciplinary proceedings against him were pending.

The matter cannot be overlooked on the ground that various allegations against him had been pending since the past few years. The inquiry was getting delayed as he had challenged the proceedings before CAT and other forums, it was stated.

The government submitted that as per the guidelines for promotion prescribed by the Centre, there was no provision for provisional promotion to officers of all India service.

Thachankary, who had made the trip to gulf when he was Kannur IGP, had been suspended by the previous LDF government. He was later re-instated as Managing Director of the Kerala State Co-operative Marketing Federation after the UDF government came to power.