Former Kerala Director General of Police (DGP) Tomin J Thachankary has moved the Kerala High Court challenging a Vigilance Court ruling that convicted him in a disproportionate assets case.
Kottayam Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance) KV Rajaneesh had on Thursday passed the verdict after finding that there was a disproportionate income of over ₹30 lakh, which comes up to over 50% of his known income at the time.
The trial court proceeed to sentence Thachankary to four years of rigorous imprisonment.
While Thachankary had requested for a lighter sentence citing medical ailments, the Court opined that his position did not warrant leniency especially considering the magnitude of his abuse of power.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹30.84 lakhs on Thachankary, the exact amount of disproportionate assets it found.
Thachankary has now challenged this verdict before the Kerala High Court.
The case originated from a complaint filed by Bobby Kuruvila, who claimed to be an anti-corruption crusader. He alleged that Thachankary had acquired houses, flats and other properties during his service disproportionate to his known income.
A vigilance investigation launched subsequently found that Thachankary had acquired assets worth over ₹64 lakh between 2003 and 2007, which were disproportionate to his known income.
Thachankary later moved the Vigilance Court seeking discharge, claiming that the assets were acquired through family shares and gifts. However, the Court rejected his plea.
In 2021, the State government granted sanction for further investigation by a special unit of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB).
However, Kuruvila moved the Kerala High Court, alleging that this was a move to delay the trial.
In August 2025, a Division Bench of the High Court allowed the petition and set aside the government order allowing further investigation.
The High Court also ordered a time-bound conclusion of the trial, on which the yesterday's verdict was pronounced.