Govt seeks explanation from IPS officer Jacob Thomas

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Government Thursday sought an explanation from senior IPS officer Jacob Thomas, who was recently shifted from the post of Director Fire and Rescue Services, for airing certain views on its decisions to the media without prior permission.

In accordance with the state Cabinet's decision, Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson asked DGP Jacob Thomas, presently Police Housing and Construction Corporation Managing Director, to furnish the explanation within 15 days, official sources said.

The cabinet had yesterday decided to seek explanation from Thomas for his media remarks against certain decisions of the government.

Thomas had in a recent media interviews justified his decision not to grant permission for high rise buildings when he was the Director of Fire and Rescue Services and also said he only strictly complied with the building rules.

Reacting to the development, CPI(M) veteran and state Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan said it was a punishment for exposing "flat mafia's" clout in the government.

While Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had justified the decision to transfer the officer, Opposition parties had alleged that the government transfered him due to pressure from realtors.

Chandy had also said that many of the officer's decisions put the government in an "embarrassing" situation.

The officer had withheld permission to high rise buildings on the ground that the department did not have a 'sky lift' for rescue in case of emergency.

Thomas had earlier handled the bar bribery case, in which state Finance Minister K M Mani was allegedly involved, as the then Vigilance Additional Director before being posted to the Fire and Rescue services.