The Centre has informed the Kerala High Court that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated an investigation into the financial dealings involving a real estate development company in which Ann Mary Thanchankary, wife of Additional Director General of Police Tomin J. Thachankary holds major shares.
The Centre made the submission when a writ petition seeking a directive to the Director, Enforcement Directorate, to act on the letter sent by the Chief Secretary seeking an inquiry into the financial deal came up for hearing.
The Assistant Solicitor General of India also submitted that that the Enforcement Directorate had received documents from the registrar of the company and was examining these documents.
The court issued notice to Mr. Thachankary and his wife Ann Mary Thachankary of APG Developers Private Limited, Kochi.
According to the petitioner, K. Manikandan of Kanyakumari, his wife and he had entered into an agreement with APG Developers, for the sale of a property for a consideration of ₹6.5 crore. Ms. Thachankary had 80 per cent shares in the company.
He said it was Mr. Thachankary who had conducted negotiations on the sale of his property at Kanyakumari. After paying ₹2.5 crore, Mr. Thachankary insisted on executing the sale deed in favour of the company, and asked him to forgo the balance sale consideration, the petitioner said.
The petitioner alleged that Mr. Thachankary had threatened him and wife. His wife had filed a complaint before the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy against the harassment. He also wrote the then Chief Minister. The petitioner also pointed out that he was falsely implicated at the behest of Mr. Thachankary in the the Paravur and Varapuzha rape cases.
He said that the State government had in 2015 written a letter to the Director of Enforcement seeking a probe into the financial dealing. In the letter, the then Chief Secretary had stated that it was revealed during the inquiry by the Additional DGP (Intelligence) and ADGP (Crimes) that Mr. Thachankary was actively involved in the business transaction of the company during the purchase process of the land.
The letter said that the DGP had recommended a detailed probe into the financial dealing by the Income Tax Department/Enforcement Directorate or other appropriate agency under the Centre. However, no action had so far been taken on the request of the then Chief Secretary, the petitioner said.