Palmolein

• Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy gets relief from Supreme Court

  The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition that asked for Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to be made an accused in a corruption case related to the import of palmolein oil in 1991.

• Karunanidhi hits out at Jayalalithaa for holding vigilance portfolio

  Former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi has said that it is unfair for Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to be heading the state's Vigilance department as it is probing a disproportionate assets case against her.The DMK supremo cited the instance of Kerala chief minister Oomen Chandy who gave up the vigilance portfolio last week after a court or...

• Palmolein case: Court orders probe into Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's role

  In a setback to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, a special court in Thiruvananthapuram has asked the prosecution to probe his role in the Palmolein import scam of 1992.

• Pradeep Kumar sworn in as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner

  Central Vigilance Commissioner, CVC, Palmolein case, PJ Thomas, Pradeep Kumar

• PJ Thomas seeks stay on new CVC's appointment

  Former Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) PJ Thomas has appealed to President Pratibha Patil to wait for the outcome of his plea in court before the new CVC is appointed. In March this year, the Supreme Court declared that appointment of Thomas as India's CVC was invalid. Yesterday, Thomas filed a writ petition in Delhi High Court saying new the ...

• Kerala court allows further probe into palmolein case

  In a decision fraught with political significance, the Vigilance Court has allowed a plea from prosecution to further investigate the palmolein import graft case.The prosecution, in a petition filed earlier this month, had sought court direction for further probe into the case contending that some more persons were likely to become accused in the c...

• Who is PJ Thomas?

  Polayil Joseph Thomas, 60, has been in the eye of an unseemly storm for the last five months - a corruption case from years ago and an embarrassing question mark on his integrity came back to haunt him and the government that appointed him as the top man to look into corruption.  Ever since he was appointed Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC)...

• Thomas no longer CVC: Supreme Court

  The Supreme Court has ruled that PJ Thomas' appointment as Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) is illegal. His removal comes at a time when the government is being taken to task by the Opposition for a glut of corruption scandals. (Read: Who is PJ Thomas?) "I respect the Supreme Court's judgement," said the Prime Minister to NDTV. He said he will...

• Supreme Court verdict on CVC Thomas today

  The Supreme Court will give its verdict today on petitions challenging the appointment of PJ Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).The decision to appoint Mr Thomas the country's top man in charge of fighting corruption has cost the government dearly.First the Opposition and then the Supreme Court expressed concern over why Mr Thomas i...

• Sushma declines to comment on Chidambaram's charge

  Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj today declined to comment on Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's charge that she was making "thoughtless allegations" on the issue of P J Thomas' appointment as the Central Vigilance Commissioner."The matter is pending in the Supreme Court. It is not proper for me to comment on the matter," she told reporters here.Ch...

• No stigma in chargesheet: Govt's new excuse for Thomas

  The government grazed with more criticism from the Supreme Court on Thursday over its decision to select PJ Thomas as the country's Chief Vigilance Commissioner, even though he is chargesheeted in a case of corruption. As Chief Vigilance Commissioner or CVC, Mr Thomas is appointed specifically to combat corruption.Since it picked Mr Thomas in Septe...

• HM's statement on Thomas an afterthought: Swaraj

  Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj today termed as an "after thought" Home Minister P Chidambaram's claim that he had not misled the CVC selection panel and his contention that the BJP leader was making "thoughtless allegations". "I have seen that (Chidambaram's) statement. I have to only say that if he knew the case was pendi...

• PJ Thomas refuses to quit as CVC, say sources

  PJ Thomas hasn't agreed to do the government the favour it desperately awaits. Sources say he has refused to quit as the country' s Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).The CVC cannot be dismissed, he has to be impeached by Parliament. So, the government is now hoping that the Supreme Court will nudge Mr Thomas out of office by rejecting his appointm...

• I am of impeccable integrity, Thomas tells Supreme Court

  Controversial bureaucrat P J Thomas today opposed the petition in the Supreme Court seeking his removal as Central Vigilance Commissioner saying he was a person of "impeccable integrity" and became a "victim of political battle".     In his affidavit, the CVC expressed gratitude to the apex court for giving him opportunity to re...

• Setback for PJ Thomas: Court decides Palmolein case will go on

  In a setback for Central Vigilance Commissioner PJ Thomas the Supreme Court made it clear that the trial in the multicrore Palmolein import scam will go on.The trial had been stayed in the year 2007 based on a petition by former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran as he wanted the charges against him quashed.But the Court today took note of the fac...