Wish to Identify, Empower Whistleblowers to Weed Out Corruption: Kerala Vigilance Chief Jacob Thomas

Jacob Thomas fits the part of the quintessential crusader, taking to task the entire political class of Kerala as well as putting his brethren in the bureaucracy on notice. And like all crusaders he has had a series short stints in his long career as an IPS officer, the worst criticism against him being that he plays to the gallery. In his decades-old career, Thomas had been in-charge of law and order for only three years. In-between assignments, he has authored six books and completed two PhDs, apart from building up an ant-corruption Forum called “Excel Kerala”.

What CAG Vinod Rai was to Manmohan Singh’s UPA Government, Thomas was to the previous Congress-UDF Government led by Oommen Chandy. The scams he pursued until he was transferred out – during his stint at state Vigilance bureau during the previous regime ended up creating enduring rifts in the Congress-led front, and the Left ran away with the prize.

Kerala watched with keen eyes if the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will appoint the “trouble-maker” Thomas as Vigilance chief again. But the new CM took the bait, and ever since Thomas hasn’t stopped making news.

Thomas began his new stint with his characteristic flair. In one of his first media appearances after being anointed DGP of the state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in the new LDF government, he dramatically pulled out ‘red cards’ and ‘yellow cards’ from his pocket and declared that he is going to be a strict referee.

Four months later, it is evident he has walked the talk. FIR filed against UDF government's finance minister KM Mani on allegations that he helped a private firm to evade tax to the tune to Rs 1. 6 crore. Vigilance had also raided the house of former excise minister K Babu and his aides on charges of disproportionate assets.

Preliminary enquiries against two top IAS officers: Additional chief secretaries KM Abraham and Tom Jose. Abraham has now given a written complaint to the CM against the vigilance raids in his house alleging due procedures were not followed and that Thomas is trying to intimidate him. A vigilance court has ordered a preliminary enquiry into the allegation that Abraham amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. Last week, raids were conducted at Additional Chief Secretary Tom Jose's residence on a complaint that he had amassed wealth disproportionate to his income. Jose too has alleged that the raids were at maligning him.

The raids have rocked the state assembly. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala raised in the House that Abraham’s complaint is of serious nature and there is a fight going on between the senior IAS and IPS officers. Chennithala alleged that the CM has lost control over these officers.

However, CM Pinarayi Vijayan gave a detailed reply in the state Assembly making it clear that Jacob Thomas has his unflinching support. He also said that some people are trying to remove Thomas from the post.

The “some people” the CM referred to managed to drag Thomas too into the muck. The charge is that when he was the director of ports there were irregularities in the purchase of solar technology and computers. Another charge is that he went on leave and took up a teaching job. But the officer says that such allegations will keep coming as long as he is doing his job.

Thomas sat down with News18’s Neethu Reghukumar for an exclusive interview where he discussed the prevalence of corruption in the higher echelons of decision making and what makes him go after even his long-time colleagues. Excerpts:

On his appointment as the state vigilance chief:

In vigilance I am trying to create a new normal. I also expect that this new normal will set a sort of benchmark. If the benchmark is lowered then the people of Kerala will start demanding more and more.

I am doing my job as a DGP and director of VACB, that is what people expect from this government organization. This is meant to control corruption and if there is any allegation of corruption, we will do a proper enquiry and take action according to the anti-corruption law. I am just doing my job, I did not create any controversy.

It’s not just politicians but a section of the IAS/IPS officers are also not happy with you. You seemed to have opened so many fronts at the same time...

In steps against anti-corruption, there are different stakeholders, but they are all not clearly defined. Corruption is a great social evil. When someone is taking such steps, those in the ‘corruption-chain’ will use all their might: their social, financial and intellectual capital to defeat that action.

Are there people lobby against you as you probe your own service brethren?

People tapping group loyalty to further individual personal interests. I understand that in that sociological perspective. Since it is a sociological and psychological phenomenon I also tap the same perspective. Society is larger than individuals. The Kerala collective is very powerful. If I work for the larger collectivity, the larger collectivity will work for me.

What is it that keeps you going?

What keeps me going is my mission. I have defined the mission of this agency in Kerala as assuring good governance for the people. We will be celebrating Kerala’s 60th birthday on November 1. Everyone in Kerala is concerned whether the state has improved its shape and health in the last 60 years or whether it has deteriorated. I am a part of this state, so am also concerned about it. So when I got an opportunity to do something, to shape the state in a better way should I not do that? So I have taken that up as my mission.

There are corruption allegations against you too… Not just two, many more allegations will come. When I was the Commissioner of Police, Kochi, in 1999, I raided the Ramavarma Club there, which had violated gambling and abkari rules. As part of that action, the attack against me continued for 10 years.

Similarly, when I was MD of the Civil Supplies Corporation from 2004 to 2007, I went against a cartel whose corruption amounted to Rs 134 crore. Again there was a concerted attack against me, which continued for five years. At that point there were 19 cases against me in the Kerala High court. There were several complaints for disciplinary action. Now there are only three.

One of the allegations against me is that I took leave and went for teaching. It’s purely a matter of extraordinary leave. I taught in a college affiliated to Kerala University. This allegation came out last year when I spoke out on corruption.

Coming to the corruption allegations against me during my stint at the Department of Ports, all I did was tapping solar energy which is in line with the national policy. The implementation was through public sector agencies and not through any private agencies. I left the port department after the installation, if subsequent maintenance was not done, how I can be held responsible?

While you were the ADGP of vigilance, the department registered an FIR against the serving finance minister, KM Mani. Were you under a lot of pressure?

It was in 2014 that vigilance conducted a preliminary enquiry against a very powerful serving minister of the state, handling the portfolios of law and finance. It was a purely legal process upon receipt of written complaint. It was a routine action of the anti-corruption agency. There is nothing unusual about it. This anti-corruption agency worked without any fear or favour.

In such circumstances some people try to gang up, they influence and convert their personal problem into a group problem. Individuals creating road blocks, challenging legal action are okay. But when individuals convert their issue into a group issue it’s a problem. It was a problem then and now.

How do you overcome this?

In the context of Kerala, when such maneuvering of the ‘group’ happens I would say the larger society rises and raises their opinion. That can happen in anybody’s case. People feel that there is a person who is working for me, and on my behalf.

During the last UDF government you asked chief secretary’s permission to file defamation case against your own chief minister. What was the provocation?

Probably, I am the only person who was openly fighting with the CM. But we both co-existed. He did not harm me, I also did not harm him.

Former CM Oommen chandy said that I am “anti-people”. I devoted all my life in civil service, devoted my time for the welfare of the people and the betterment of the society. So when he said I am anti-people I couldn’t take it lying down. I protested in my own way. I couldn’t understand how could I be called “anti-people”.

People call you an anti-corruption crusader. How do you feel?

I don’t see myself as a crusader. I am doing my job that is entrusted in me by the government. In vigilance department my job is to prevent corruption and assure good governance. I am doing this job, I am working for the people. If I get another post I will do my job there also.

Since I was in anti-corruption for the past few years I learned about the different types of corruption, learnt the best practices outside. I made a plan and now implementing them on a mission mode. One of the main plans is identifying, developing and empowering whistleblowers in every district. The target is to have 100 each from all the 14 districts of Kerala. That will be a big boon for anti-corruption efforts, imagine 1,400 anti-corruption crusaders in the state!

Recently you gave a letter to the CM seeking voluntary transfer from the Vigilance department. Since it was timed along with charges of favouritism against the industries minister EP Jayarajan – who subsequently quit – there were a lot of rumours in the air. Was it due to any political pressure after an enquiry was initiated against a powerful CPM leader like Jayarajan?

There are different strategies. I have reasons for giving the letter but I will not explain any further. Over all the output was positive.

Do you think that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has his full confidence in you?

In our democracy, I should be confident in people’s government and people’s government should be confident in anybody doing good work. So both ways it should be there.

You have been transferred from department to department so many times in your career. Have you ever felt that you should not have joined civil service?

One of my shortest tenures in my career was as the DGP of Fire & Rescue Services. I was there only for 83 days and that is when I felt that I did something very significant for this society. In less than 3 months, I created a mission for that organization for saving lives, created awareness of the necessity to have safety aspects in the buildings in Kerala especially high-rises. I could see that when I went to some hospitals and malls, they were re-doing their fire ducts and fire-safety measures were being taken. In 83 days I was able to communicate to the state that fire & rescue services job is to ensure that there are no fire calamities, for that there are certain safety requirements to be done in that building and people started doing it. I was transferred in less than 83 days but still I did not feel like quitting.

Do you regret being in civil service?

When I weigh my alternate career options I am happy being in the civil services. I could do this much for the society. If not in civil services I would have been in management in some private firm or in research or a professor.

When you look back what is the happiest or the most fulfilling moments in your career?

The most fulfilling part was when I was working in the Kerala Horticulture Development Programme from 1992 to 1996. What attracted me was the mission of this programme which was to ensure stable and high income for small farmers. Setting up self-help groups, training, I could prepare long-term plans for this project. It was an EU-funded project and it helped me personally as I could work with Europeans, interact with them and understand their work culture.

The saddest phase in your career?

People may think it was sad period but whenever I was posted in a “side” post I would join a course or write a book. I could write six books so far. Where full time mental engagement is not required I use the time for my intellectual and academic interest. For a normal person they might get frustrated and would be looking at an opportunity to get a better post but I used it as an opportunity. Even if I am transferred out now I will work on my book. I have three books lined up.

Do you think the governments of the day sidelined you?

All my posts and all the showing me out of the door… actually I seized opportunity outside the door. When I am out of the door I see at least three doors through which I can enter. So for a normal civil service officer most of the posting that I have received can be known as side posts or dumping posts. All these posts were great opportunity for me to sharpen my soul. So when I get back to any other work my soul is sharpened. Every organization where I was posted had a social role and social significance. It may be dysfunctional but it is not nonfunctional.

What’s your message to the next generation?

To have a good society, good neighbourhood, good roads, good hospitals, reliable medicines in the medical store, reliable and authentic food in the shops, one need to work towards getting that. You have to demand that good governance. Number one enemy of good governance is corruption. You won’t get anything free, including good governance; you have to first demand and work to get that good governance.