Vigilance commissioner PJ Thomas offered to recuse himself

Controversial central vigilance commissioner (CVC) P J Thomas, against whom the Supreme Court made stinging observations, has offered to recuse himself from supervising the central bureau of investigation (CBI) probe in the second generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation case, the Centre today informed the apex court.

"In accordance with the highest tradition, Thomas has offered to recuse himself from the matter," solicitor general Gopal Subramanuium told a bench comprising justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly which had yesterday questioned Thomas supervising the CBI which is probing the scam.

The court had raised questions that Thomas was the Telecom Secretary at the relevant time.

The 60-year-old Thomas, who was telecom secretary till recently, was appointed to the CVC's post by a three-member panel headed by prime minister but not before the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, gave a dissenting note.

Appointed barely less than three months ago, Thomas' name figures in the chargesheet relating to import of palmolein when he was serving in the Kerala government.