New Delhi: The Kerala state government filed an appeal in Supreme Court against the High Court’s decision to quash the FIR registered against former Director General of Police Dr Jacob Thomas in the dredger scam case. 

The High Court had quashed the corruption case against Jacob Thomas in connection with the purchase of a cutter suction dredger while serving as director of the ports department. Though the vigilance had filed a report accusing Jacob Thomas in the case, the HC noted that the dredger was purchased based on the decision of the Department Purchase Committee, comprising three representatives of government and hence the case registered solely against Jacob Thomas will not exist.  

The appeal filed against the HC order in Supreme Court accused Jacob Thomas of severe lapses of engaging in tender rigging. The tender has been mentioned as only ‘e-tender’ in the notice by concealing the fact that it was a ‘global tender’. State government also alleged that Jacob Thomas refrained from accepting the tender of the public sector enterprise BEML, which quoted the lowest bidding price. The appeal was filed by Standing Counsel Harshad V Hameed. 

The Supreme Court had already sent notice to Jacob Thomas in relation to the petition filed by Sathyan Maravoor against the decision of the High Court in the case.