09 November 2010

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Supreme Court – Decides to check the eligibility and Appointment Procedure of New Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) PJ Thomas. Who is PJ Thomas ?

Supreme Court – Decides to check the eligibility and Appointment Procedure of New Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) PJ Thomas. Who is PJ Thomas ?

Who is PJ Thomas ? New Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC)

President Pratibha Patil administered the oath of office to the former Telecom Secretary, P.J. Thomas, as the 14th Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) at a function held in the Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 8th 2010.

A 1973-batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, Mr. Thomas has held important assignments in Kerala as Secretary in Finance, Industry, Agriculture, Law and Justice and Human Resource Development Departments.
He was the founder director of the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode.


He became the Kerala Chief Secretary in 2007 and moved to the Central government as Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in January, 2009.
Later he went on to become the Telecom Secretary.

Mr. Thomas succeeded Pratyush Sinha, a 1969-batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, who demitted office on Monday after a four-year tenure as the CVC.

His name was cleared by a three-member committee, headed by Dr. Singh and included Mr. Chidambaram and Ms. Swaraj.
However the BJP leader opposed his appointment.
Swaraj, who was a part of the three-member Committee that selected Thomas for the CVC Chief's post, had registered her dissent over his appointment.

1. Name : POLAYIL JOSEPH THOMAS - Central Vigilance Commissioner

2. Present Address : D-7, LIC Officers’ Quarters Sector-15 (Part-II), Gurgaon, Haryana Tel. 0124-2225847

3. Permanent Address : T.C. 15/2035 Women’s College Lane Vazhuthacaud Thiruvananthapuram – 14

4. Date of Birth : 13.01.1951

5. Qualification : M. Sc. (Physics) M.A. (Economics)

Official positions held previously:

1. Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications & I.T.

2. Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, New Delhi

3. Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala

4. Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education)

5. Chief Electoral Officer & Principal Secretary to Government

6. Secretary, Government of Kerala

7. Director of Fisheries

8. One year Training at Paris

9. M.D., Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation Limited

10. Secretary, Taxes (Board of Revenue)

11. District Collector, Ernakulam

12. Secretary, Kerala Khadi & Village Industries Board

13. Sub Collector, Fort, Cochin

PJ Thomas is allegedly involved in the cover-up of 2G spectrum scam.

A Bench of Chief Justice S H Kapadia and Justices K S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar ordered the government to produce the file in response to a PIL that alleged Thomas failed the "impeccable track record" test as he was chargesheeted in the palmolein import scam.

The PIL, argued by Prashant Bhushan, also referred to the allegation that Thomas, as telecom secretary, had tried to prevent the comptroller and auditor general from probing the 2G spectrum scam.

"Thomas as telecom secretary had questioned then CVC's attempt to look into the alleged Rs 140,000 crore 2G spectrum scam


While hearing a petition challenging his appointment as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC)
the Supreme Court wanted to know if eligibility criteria had been followed in his appointment and if there was proper consultation for his selection.

BJP accused that he is appointed to cover and hide the corruption in the 2G scam.

The 2G scam is one of the biggest financial irregularities of all times in the country.
It has caused a loss of Rs. 69,000 crore to the National exchequer by giving away scarce spectrum to telecom operators at a fraction of the market price.

But now NDTV got the documents which show that new CVC chief is still accused in one corruption case .

Below are the details – Regarding PJ Thomas and Palmolein case

In this case PJ Thomas is one of the accused and Supreme Court of India has stayed the proceeding in this case.
This means that trial is pending.

A response of the Special Vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuaram to an RTI query says it has not quashed charges against any of the accused in the Palmolein case.
It also says Thomas continues to be the eighth accused in the array of accused.

The Palmolein case relates to irregularities in the award of contract to a Malaysian company for the import of edible oil, causing a loss of Rs. 2.8 crore to the exchequer, or loss to India.
Thomas was the then Food Secretary to Government of Kerala.
According to the vigilance court,
New CVC chief PJ Thomas is now an accused who's on bail.

Exchequer - meaning
The department of state having charge of the collection and management of the revenue of India. Which is our income ,income of India.


Think - When a criminal case is pending in court do you think he should not hold this post ?

Think - When Politicians can hold the post why not Thomas ?

Update – Monday, 6-12-2010

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to controversial Central Vigilance Commissioner PJ Thomas on the petition seeking quashing of his appointment.

A PIL had been filed by the NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation challenging P J Thomas's appointment as CVC.

The Supreme Court asked the Centre and the CVC to respond to the allegations made against him in the Public Interest Litigation

Chief Justice S H Kapadia said "We have gone through the file; we will keep the matter for final hearing

The Supreme Court has asked why [Central Vigilance Commissioner PJ Thomas] his appointment should not be quashed.

The court listed the matter for final hearing on January 27.

Food for thought -
If you are owner of a company, will you give the job to the person who is accused of crime and corruption?


WE NEED To Change our laws and law procedures , change means amendments.

Suggested Reading –

India - Know about CVC, Central Vigilance Commission

http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/india-know-about-cvc-central-vigilance.html


Reality Views by sm –
Tuesday, November 09, 2010


2 comments:

BK Chowla, November 09, 2010  

Most of constitutional appointments have lost their credibility and colour.

sm,  November 09, 2010  

BK Chowla,,
thanks.
yes i agree with you.