Thiruvananthapuram:
He may have got a clean chit from the Centre in the 2G scam, but a corruption case has returned to haunt the newly appointed Central Vigilance Commissioner, PJ Thomas.
Documents available with NDTV show that the charges against Thomas and seven other accused in the case still stands, though the proceedings in the case have been stayed by the Supreme Court.
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. Thomas was the then Food Secretary to Government of Kerala. According to the vigilance court, Thomas is now an accused who's on bail.
The Government has been defending the CVC against attacks from the Opposition, saying Thomas was exonerated in the Palmolein case. But with the vigilance court saying that a corruption case still exists against the top official of the country's highest anti-corruption watchdog, the Centre will have a lot of answering to do.