Move to demote Kerala's senior most IPS officer Jacob Thomas

Jacob Thomas, the senior-most IPS officer in service in Kerala, is facing a move by the Kerala government to demote him from DGP rank to ADGP. He is due to retire from service in May.

As part of the disciplinary proceedings against the 1985 batch IPS officer, the Kerala Government was learnt to have recommended demotion and sought the concurrence from the Centre.

Thomas was very close to the current left-front government in Kerala during its initial days and he was even handpicked to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau director post by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. But he later invited the wrath of the government as well as top IAS officers after the Vigilance initiated cases and investigations against a minister as well as some senior IAS officers, including the present Chief Secretary Tom Jose.

The government had earlier placed him under suspension for multiple charges for more than one year. Alleging serious lapses in the rescue operations during the Ockhi calamity that hit Kerala coast and penning a service story 'Sravukalkoppan Neenthumbol' (Swimming along with the sharks) without government's permission were among the charges.

The Central Administrative Tribunal had ordered to reinstate him last year, stating that an officer should not be kept under suspension for a long time. The government subsequently posted him as managing director of state public sector undertaking Metal Industries Limited, a low profile post.

The fresh move to demote Thomas was based on the disciplinary proceedings by a committee headed by senior IAS officer Rajeev Sadanandan. It was learnt that Thomas did not appear to give his explanation to the memos issued to him initially. The government would be serving a fresh memo to him as part of finalising the quantum of punishment.

It was for the first time in the state that steps were reportedly being taken to demote an IPS officer. Earlier there was a recommendation to review the service records of another IPS officer in Kerala as part of the cadre review procedure. However, no action was taken.