With the controversy over the alleged tapping of Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas’s phone and email becoming a big headache for Kerala’s CPI(M)-led lDF Government, it is reportedly thinking of carrying out a major reshuffle at the top of the State police. Rumours are rife that Jacob Thomas himself could be shifted out of his present position.
Thomas, an officer with DGP rank, had the other day lodged a complaint with DGP loknath Behera that his phone and e-mail were being tapped, effectively pushing the Government into a perception trap as tapping in the case of an officer of his position was nearly impossible without the knowledge of the Home Department being looked after by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
This was the second time Jacob Thomas, famous as an upright police officer and an anti-corruption crusader, had caused trouble for the lDF Government within a few days. Earlier, he had requested the Government to remove him from his current position because of “personal reasons” but it is yet to take a decision on this.
Stating that Jacob Thomas’s complaint would be inquired into, State DGP loknath Behera said on Sunday that nobody had sought or had been given permission for tapping the Vigilance Director’s phone and email. There were strict guidelines for tapping phones but “anything is possible in this age of technology”, he said.
Without denying the possibility that Thomas’s phone could have been tapped, he said that officials of the rank of Inspector General of Police could tap phones in “urgent situations” as per special provisions but ratification should be obtained for such act from the Home Secretary within three days. Action would be taken if anybody had tapped his phone illegally, he added.
According to sources, a reshuffle at the top of the State police is likely to take place in the context of the controversies related to Jacob Thomas who had initiated intense investigations over the allegations of corruption leveled against influential political personalities like former ministers K Babu of the Congress and Kerala Congress (M) chairman KM Mani.
Though the Chief Minister is not in full agreement with the idea of removing Thomas from the post of Vigilance Director, considering the fact that his activities had refurbished the Government’s anti-corruption image, it is said that he may ultimately decide to replace him. But the Government is unlikely to take such steps before the close of the current Assembly session.
Some senior Government officials said they were surprised by the complaint of the Vigilance Director because his phone and email could not be tapped without the knowledge of the Department and Home Secretary Nalini Netto, who has already stated that nobody had been given permission for tapping.
The Government is sore about the decision of the Vigilance Director to approach DGP Behera with his complaint and not the Home Secretary and about the news of this appearing in the media. It is also disturbed about the fact that the acts of Jacob Thomas are being used by the Opposition as weapons against it.
When reports came out about Thomas’s request for removal from Vigilance, the Opposition had alleged that this could have been related to allegations regarding CPI(M) leader EP Jayarajan, who had resigned as Industries minister on October 14 following the charge that he had appointed close relatives in key positions in PSUs under the Industries Department.
“The issue of phone-tapping is very serious, if it is true,” said a former member of the CPI(M)’s State committee. “Jacob Thomas says that several secrets regarding to Vigilance activities have been stolen from his email. How effectively the Opposition will use this will be clear only when it takes the issue to the Assembly,” he added.