This Article is From Dec 06, 2010

Why should Thomas continue as CVC, asks Supreme Court

Why should Thomas continue as CVC, asks Supreme Court
New Delhi: Another red-faced moment for the government in the 2G case. The Supreme Court has issued a notice to PJ Thomas, asking why his appointment as the country's top watchdog for corruption should not be cancelled.

Thomas was named Chief Vigilance Commissioner in September by a three-member panel which included the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Sushma Swaraj. Objecting strongly to the appointment, Swaraj had complained to President Pratibha Patil.

Unfazed, Thomas responded to today's notice stating, "An opportunity has been given to me to explain my position. A reply will be filed in the form of a counter affidavit."

The Supreme Court has said the final hearing in the case will be held on January 27.

Two Public Interest Litigation (PIL) cases have challenged Thomas' appointment too and have asked that it be declared illegal.

That's because Thomas is accused in a Kerala case of corruption. He was a senior bureaucrat in Kerala in 1992 - the year when he allowed the import of edible oil from Malaysia at unjustifiable rates.

Addressing that case, the Supreme Court said last month, "Let us proceed on assumption that at every stage there will be allegations that you should not process a file as Central Vigilance Commissioner as you are accused in a criminal case. How will you function as CVC?"

More recently, Thomas' role in the 2G scam is being questioned. The matter is now being investigated by the CBI.

Last week, the Supreme Court asked how Thomas as CVC could supervise the inquiry, given that the CBI effectively reports to him. The court pointed out that in the past, Thomas has justified the decisions taken by Raja on the allocation of 2G spectrum.

In response, the government said that Thomas would recuse himself from the case.
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