SC’s scrapping of CVC Appointment led PJ Thomas to Resign

The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia on 3 March 2011 cancelled PJ Thomas' appointment as Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). Following the court’s verdict PJ Thomas resigned six months after his appointment as the Central Vigilance Commissioner for his alleged involvement in a corruption case. Scrapping the appointment of PJ Thomas, the apex court mentioned that the appointment made by a high-powered committee, consisting of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and opposition leader Sushma Swaraj, did not exist in law.

The Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) and retired bureaucrats and police officials, including former chief election commissioner J M Lyngdoh had filed a petition in the court challenging Thomas’ appointment. According to the petition, Thomas was facing a criminal chargesheet in a case related to palm oil import in Kerala and he therefore was not an outstanding civil servant of impeccable integrity.

Thomas was Kerala’s civil supplies secretary in 1992 when the palm oil scam allegedly involving him took place. The palm oil case was registered in 1999, accusing Thomas and others of a criminal conspiracy and causing a loss of Rs.2.32 crore to the state exchequer.