IAS-Vigilance tussle: Kerala CM backs Vigilance director   

\ Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 28 (PTI) With a tussle continuing\between Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas and top IAS officials\in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today expressed\confidence in Thomas and said \\"certain forces were working to\oust the director from the post.\\"\ However, Vijayan said the petition of Additional Chief\Secretary (Finance) K M Abraham against Thomas for conducting\a search in his house in connection with a case was of\\\"serious nature\\" and it would be examined.\ He made the statement in the Assembly while replying to a\submission of opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala that the\administration had come to a standstill in the state due to\the fight between top bureaucrats.\ Vijayan\\’s remarks assumes significance as it came in the\backdrop of the search conducted this morning by the Vigilance\at the residence and office of another top officer Tom Jose,\Principal Secretary (Labour) in an alleged disproportionate\assets case.\ The chief minister said there was no difference of opinion\about the capability of Abraham and \\"that is why he is still\continuing as Finance Secretary\\".\ On the controversial inspection conducted at the house of\Abraham, Vijayan said, \\"What happened here was the examination\of allegations in a complaint.\\"\ However, he said the government would also examine\whether all procedures were followed while conducting such an\examination at the house of a senior official.\ \\"In this regard, already an explanation has been sought\from the official concerned with the inspection. Some lapses\have happened,\\" he added.\ But at the same time, Vijayan said Jacob Thomas is an\official fir for the post of the Vigilance director. The\\\"government did not have the feeling that he had done anything\unbecoming of his position as the Vigilance director.\\"\ \\"Certain forces were operating in the state to oust Jacob\Thomas from the post of VACB director, he said. (More) PTI LGK\JRK UD RC\SC\