Kottayam (Kerala): The sentencing of former Director General of Police (DGP) Tomin J Thachankary to four years of rigorous imprisonment follows a meticulously built case by the prosecution, relying on 96 key witnesses and 271 documentary exhibits to secure Kerala’s first corruption conviction of a former top police official.

Inquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance) K V Rajanish delivered the verdict imposing four years of imprisonment along with a fine of ₹30,84,892, with an additional two-month term mandated in case of default.

The historic trial at the Kottayam Vigilance Court commenced on November 1, 2025 and reached its conclusion in just 9 months.

Denying any relief on medical grounds, the court observed that a high-ranking officer entrusted with protecting the public’s life and property cannot claim leniency when committing acts of corruption.

The legal battle originated during Thachankary’s tenure as Alappuzha Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). Following a personal dispute involving Thachankary’s relative, he allegedly targeted Boby Kuruvilla of Karuvelithara at Mithrakary, using severe legal provisions. Boby’s father K C Kuruvilla launched the initial legal battle against the officer, which was subsequently carried forward by Boby.

The core of the Vigilance case focused on Thachankary’s tenure as Inspector General (IG) between January 1, 2003 and July 4, 2007.

Investigators asserted that against a legitimate income of ₹47,64,913, Thachankary’s total expenditure reached ₹1.02 crore, representing a 135% excess. While prosecution initially alleged total illegal wealth of ₹64,70,891, the court definitively established unaccounted assets of ₹30,84,892, setting that exact sum as the monetary penalty after Thachankary failed to account for its origin.

The case was first registered as a Vigilance FIR in 2007, with then Vigilance SP P Radhakrishnan filing the charge sheet in the Thrissur Vigilance Court in 2013, before proceedings were transferred through the Muvattupuzha and Kottayam benches. Vigilance Public Prosecutor Adv K K Sreekanth represented the prosecution.


Key evidence and financial transactions breakdown

  • Land acquisitions in Thammanam: Between 2003 and 2006, 18 separate sale deeds were executed to purchase four acres of land in Thammanam for ₹31,04,000, incurring ₹3,07,566 in stamp duty.
  • Thiruvananthapuram apartment: Investigators disproved Thachankary’s defense that a apartment acquired in Thiruvananthapuram was purchased by his father, establishing that Thachankary personally remitted the ₹1.75 lakh registration fee.
  • Spousal gift: A sum of ₹52.50 lakh was transferred as a monetary gift to his wife.
  • Foreign travel expenditure: Records proved ₹6.75 lakh was spent on overseas trips during the specified timeframe.
  • Tax payments: Income tax payments amounting to ₹1.85 lakh made during the period were factored into the audit.