Thomas defends his selection as CVC in SC

New Delhi: Central Vigilance Commissioner PJ Thomas on Tuesday filed an additional affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend his appointment as CVC.

In his affidavit, Thomas has said that there was no sanction to prosecute him in the palmolein import case.

Thomas, in his affidavit, said that was the senior most bureaucrat to be empanelled for the post of CVC and his name was considered the post after the Central Vigilance Commission had given a clearance for it.

Thomas has also alleged that he was not the only person with cases filed against and said, "There were many officers besides me who had cases against them but no issues were made. Why am I being singled out?"

Earlier, on January 27, the Union Government made an embarrassing claim in the Supreme Court that it was not aware of the full facts of the allegations against Thomas when his name was cleared for the post of CVC.

The admission came when a three judge bench of the court asked the Attorney General whether all files and papers related to the palmolein scam were placed before the committee for appointing CVC.

The committee to appoint him comprised of the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the third member - the leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj.

The Attorney General replied the files weren’t circulated.

This meant that the decision to appoint PJ Thomas as CVC was taken without the committee being aware of full facts of the case.

It was a claim that was immediately rebutted by the BJP.

Sushma Swaraj accused the Attorney General of lying on CVC PJ Thomas' appointment.

"The Attorney General’s statement before the Supreme Court that the government was in the dark or the home minister and the prime minister did not know about this case against is absolutely false,” she said.