New Delhi, January 24
Describing himself as a “victim of a political battle,” Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) PJ Thomas today informed the Supreme Court that there was no substance in the demand for his removal in the light of his alleged involvement in the palm oil import and 2G scams.

In an affidavit filed in the SC in response to the court notice on PILs demanding his removal, Thomas said his name figured in the palm oil case, registered by the LDF government in Kerala in 2000 for alleged irregularities in imports made in 1991-92, just because he happened to be the Food Secretary at the time when the oil was bought from a Singapore company.

The real target of the LDF government that time was K Karunakaran, who was the Chief Minister when the alleged scam took place, and not him, Thomas said. It was the LDF government which had appointed him as the state’s Chief Secretary in September 2007 despite the charge sheet pending against him in the palm oil case, he contended.

In the 2G scam, involving allocation of spectrum in 2008 at 2001 prices which according to a parliamentary panel (CAG) resulted in a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore, he said he could not have had any role as he had become Telecom Secretary only in October 2009.