Govt picks new CVC as Oppn puts its dissent on record

Sources said Thomas was among the three shortlisted by the Government,the others being Bijoy Chatterjee,Secretary,Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals,and S Krishnan,who retired as Fertiliser Secretary last month.

It is learnt that both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister were keen on Thomas,but Swaraj strongly objected citing his track record.

Swaraj,sources said,made it clear that she had no problems with the other two and also suggested that the Government could also look for names outside the list. The name of Thomas had figured in the palmoleine import scam in Kerala in which former Chief Minister K Karunakaran is the main accused. The case dates back to 1991-92 when Karunakaran was the Chief Minister. Thomas was then the state’s Secretary,Food and Civil Supplies,and a member of the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation,which inked the import deal with the Malaysia-based private firm Power and Energy Limited,without the mandatory clearance.The case relates to irregularities to the tune of Rs 2.80 crore.

The case was investigated by the state vigilance department and reached the Supreme Court after Karunakaran challenged a Kerala High Court order in July upholding the decision of the Left government to revoke the previous Congress-led UDF regime’s decision to withdraw the case.

In 2007,Chief Minister V S Achuthandan was reluctant to promote Thomas,then the senior-most IAS officer in Kerala,as chief secretary on the ground that he had been facing a corruption case. Temporary charge was given to another IAS officer but Thomas was made the Chief Secretary following a formal protest from the IAS Officers Association.

Swaraj suggested that the meeting be deferred so that the Government can come up with a new list of probables. She,it is learnt,referred to the palmolein oil issue during the meeting to make her case that the CVC—head of the anti-corruption watchdog—should have an “unblemished record”. It is learnt that both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister insisted on Thomas. With no option left,Swaraj registered her dissent.

When contacted by The Sunday Express,Swaraj confirmed that she gave a dissenting view. Asked for the reason,she merely said: “People with better track record were available.”

Sources in the UPA pointed out that the Government had listened to the opposition when it came to the appointment of two vigilance commissioners last month suggesting that one of the appointees— former Karnataka police chief R Srikumar—was an opposition nominee.