March 3: In a severe blow to the UPA-2 government, the Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the appointment of central vigilance commissioner, Mr P.J. Thomas, in view of his name figuring in a pending corruption case.
It said the issue of corruption cannot be allowed to remain hidden under technicalities cited by the Union government to defend him. Shortly after the verdict, the Union law minister, Mr M. Veerappa Moily, announced that Mr Thomas had resigned as CVC. However, Mr Thomas’ counsel, Mr Wills Mathews, said Mr Thomas has not yet gone through the judgement and would take a decision only after perusing it.
Reacting to the order, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh said: “I respect the Supreme Court verdict.” Dr Singh is likely to make a statement in Parliament on Friday.
The Congress tried to put up a brave face when asked if the court’s order had come as an embarrassment, saying: “Error is there, that is why the court has intervened in the matter.” It added that at the same time “no malafide has been alleged, and no malafide proved”.