Thiruvananthapuram: The lokayukta has given ultimatum to DGP
Jacob Thomas to file his version on the findings of former additional chief secretary (finance) K M Abraham with regards to corruption and conspiracy in the purchase of cutter suction dredger for the ports department while the former was director of ports.
In the notice, accessed by TOI, lokayukta Justice Pius C Kuriakose has clearly expressed his displeasure and said that the court had reasons to conclude that the officer, who is currently on suspension, was deliberately trying to evade the notice. Earlier, the notice was served in his official residence at Jawahar Nagar in Ernakulam through IG (Kochi range), when his wife had responded that the officer was not residing in that address, the notice said. The notice further said that at the same time, in the affidavit of the officer questioning the maintainability of the petition filed against him before the lokayukta, the officer had furnished his address at Ernakulam.
However, the court decided to issue a fresh notice to Thomas after locating his present address in the capital with the help of the complainant’s counsel. “As we have reasons to think that the first respondent is deliberately keeping out of the way for evading notice, we decide to attempt notice on him by more than one mode,” the notice said. While one notice has been sent to his present address by hand, another copy has been sent to him through chief secretary and one copy has been affixed at the IMG building, of which Thomas was the director general when he was suspended from the service.
The court has said that if he does not furnish a version by Thursday, the petition against him will be taken forward by considering it under doctrine of non-traverse (where the defendant has not filed a pleading, it shall be lawful for the court to pronounce judgment on the basis of the fact contained in the petition).
