Supreme Court stays Kerala High Court order quashing corruption case against former DGP Jacob Thomas

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a decision of the Kerala High Court quashing a corruption case lodged against retired IPS official Jacob Thomas in an alleged dredger scam.

A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Sanjay Karol asked Thomas, the former Director General of Police (DGP) of Kerala Police, to fully cooperate with the probe while granting him protection against arrest.

The bench told advocates Harshad V. Hameed and Dileep Poolakkot, appearing for the state government, that the investigation agency can inquire into any person connected or involved in the alleged scam. It directed the state government to submit a report to it after completing the investigation within two months.

In an application filed under section 482 CrPC, the High Court in 2021 had quashed the FIR registered against Thomas for allegedly purchasing cutter suction dredger at an exorbitant amount by overlooking the lowest tender.

On the other hand, the Additional Director General of Prosecution had argued that the investigation had to be conducted to bring out the truth and it would not be proper to nip the investigation at the threshold without permitting the investigating agency to enquire into the truth of the allegations.