Kottayam: A legal battle that began with a dispute in 1990 has culminated in the conviction of former Kerala Director General of Police Tomin J. Thachankary (IPS: 1987: Kerala), in a disproportionate-assets case, with brothers Boby and Alexander Kuruvila having pursued the matter through years of legal proceedings.
On September 17, the Kottayam Vigilance Court sentenced Thachankary to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹30.84 lakh after finding him guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case concerned assets allegedly accumulated between January 2003 and July 2007 that the court found disproportionate to his known sources of income.
How the Dispute Began in 1990
The roots of the Kuruvila family’s long legal battle go back to October 1990, when Thachankary was serving as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Alappuzha.
According to Boby Kuruvila’s account reported by multiple Kerala publications, he and his family became involved in a dispute following an argument involving one of Thachankary’s relatives. A case was subsequently registered against members of the Kuruvila family, who alleged that police power had been misused against them.
The family later approached senior police authorities, after which the Crime Branch took up the investigation, according to reports. The family’s allegations about the original case and subsequent police action are separate from the disproportionate-assets charges on which Thachankary was eventually convicted.
Disproportionate-Assets Case Dates to 2003–2007
The case for which Thachankary was convicted relates to a later period, from January 1, 2003, to July 2007.
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau alleged that he accumulated assets worth around ₹64.7 lakh disproportionate to his known sources of income during the period under investigation. The chargesheet was filed in 2013 after the investigation, which began after Thachankary’s promotion to DIG.
A key part of the prosecution case involved 18 properties in Thammanam. The court found an unexplained disproportion of ₹30.84 lakh, with the amount representing 52.33% of his known income according to the judgment as reported by Onmanorama. The court rejected Thachankary’s explanation that the properties had been purchased using his wife’s funds.
The prosecution also relied on evidence concerning a substantial gift to his wife and records of foreign travel, according to the Vigilance prosecutor.
Kuruvila Brothers Continue Legal Fight for Decades
Boby Kuruvila and his brother Alexander continued pursuing the matter despite the case moving through different stages and courts.
Boby has said that he continued the legal battle despite pressure to withdraw from the case. Reports identify him as the principal complainant who continued pursuing the allegations against Thachankary over the decades.
The disproportionate-assets case was initially heard by the Thrissur Vigilance Court before being transferred to the Muvattupuzha court and subsequently to the Kottayam Vigilance Court.
Ex-DGP Challenges Conviction in Kerala High Court
Following the Kottayam Vigilance Court verdict, Thachankary moved the Kerala High Court challenging his conviction and four-year sentence. His appeal questions aspects of the evidence, calculations and material considered during the proceedings.
The trial court had also directed that he undergo an additional two months’ imprisonment in default of payment of the fine.
The High Court proceedings mean the trial court’s conviction is currently subject to further judicial scrutiny.
Read Also: Former Kerala DGP Tomin J Thachankary Gets 4-Year Jail Term in Disproportionate Assets Case
