The Kerala High Court on Friday, November 6, pulled up former Director General of Police Tomin J. Thachankary while hearing his plea to travel abroad to take up work, and orally warned that it may cancel the bail granted to him. Thachankary was convicted in September in a disproportionate assets case and is seeking a modification of his bail conditions so he can go to Dubai for employment. Justice A. Badharudeen noted that after his conviction he had not spent even a single day in jail, having remained in hospital through his custody, yet now claimed to be fit enough to work abroad.

Source: LiveLaw

Earlier this week, the court had called for a report from the Superintendent of Poojappura Central Jail on how many days Thachankary was actually hospitalised during his custody — the earlier development in this case. The report and his medical records were produced on Friday. Perusing them, the court orally remarked: "He has been admitted in the hospital from the date of admission till the date of release. He has not spent even one day in jail... Don't spread such lies before the Court. These type of cases would be treated very seriously. If this is the position, I may go for the option to cancel the bail also."

Earlier this week, the court had sought the jail superintendent's report on Thachankary's hospitalisation during custody. Read the earlier report

Convicted in September, sentence suspended in October

Thachankary was sentenced on September 17 by the Kottayam Vigilance Court to four years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 30.84 lakh after being convicted of amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income between 2003 and 2007. The High Court suspended his sentence and granted him bail on October 15, pending disposal of his appeal; he had spent about four weeks in custody, all of it in hospital according to the jail report.

4 yearsrigorous imprisonment sentence
Rs 30.84 lakhfine imposed by the vigilance court
0days spent in jail, as per the records before the court
Nov 12next hearing date

The court said the matter requires a detailed hearing after scrutiny of the medical records and posted it to Thursday, November 12. Friday's remarks were oral observations during the hearing — no order cancelling bail, or allowing the foreign-travel plea, has been passed.