By IANS,
New Delhi : The government was expecting the Supreme Court to strike down the appointment of P.J. Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), it is reliably learnt.
“The judgment was expected in the case, seeing the development in the apex court,” a highly placed official said.
The apex court Thursday overruled the appointment of Thomas as CVC, six months after he was selected for the post.
The apex court gave its verdict on a petition by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) challenging the appointment. The petitioner had said that Thomas was facing a criminal chargesheet in a case related to palm oil import in Kerala and he was not an “outstanding civil servant of impeccable integrity”.
An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia said institutional integrity and functioning were more important than personal integrity though both were related.
Thomas was Kerala’s civil supplies secretary in 1992 when the palm oil scam allegedly involving him took place. The palm oil case was registered in 1999, accusing Thomas and others of a criminal conspiracy and causing a loss of Rs.2.32 crore to the exchequer.