Kerala HC warns ex-DGP Thachankary of bail cancellation over Dubai job plea
Synopsis
A retired Kerala DGP convicted for disproportionate assets spent his entire four-week custody in a jail hospital — then asked the court for permission to fly to Dubai for a job. The Kerala High Court's response was scathing, warning that the bail itself could be cancelled. The case raises sharp questions about how senior convicts navigate the Indian penal system.
Key Takeaways
Kerala High Court warned retired DGP Tomin J.
Thachankary on 6 November that his bail could be cancelled over a plea to travel abroad for work.
Badharudeen noted that Thachankary spent his entire four-week custody period in Poojappura Central Jail 's hospital — not in a prison cell.
Thachankary was convicted by the Kottayam Vigilance Court on 17 September for disproportionate assets worth ₹30.84 lakh — 52.33% of his known income between 2003 and 2007 .
He was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹30.84 lakh .
He is the first former DGP-rank officer in Kerala to be imprisoned following a criminal conviction.
The case is listed for further hearing on Thursday .
The Kerala High Court on Friday, 6 November 2026, issued a sharp warning to convicted retired Director General of Police Tomin J. Thachankary, cautioning that his bail could be cancelled after he sought permission to travel to Dubai for employment — having spent his entire four-week custody period inside a jail hospital rather than a prison cell.
What the Court Said
Justice A. Badharudeen expressed strong reservations over the plea, noting that Thachankary had not spent a single day in an actual jail cell since his conviction. The judge's remarks were pointed: 'He has been admitted to the hospital from the date of admission till the date of release. He has not been in jail even for a day. Nicely stayed in the hospital. There he has 1,000 ailments. Now, no ailments. Wants to go to Dubai and do a job. How can it be? Don't repeat lies before the court.'
The court had directed the Poojappura Central Jail Superintendent to submit Thachankary's medical records, which confirmed he had remained hospitalised throughout his custody. The judge further observed: 'When he goes to jail, he goes and lies down in the hospital instead of staying in jail. Once he comes out, he is completely healthy. All this cannot happen.'
Background: The Conviction
Thachankary was convicted by the Kottayam Vigilance Court on 17 September in a disproportionate assets case. He was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹30.84 lakh, after being found guilty of accumulating assets disproportionate to his known income between 2003 and 2007. The assets in question were valued at ₹30.84 lakh, constituting 52.33% of his known income during the period.
Notably, Thachankary holds the distinction of being the first former police officer of DGP rank in Kerala to be imprisoned following a criminal conviction — a landmark moment for accountability in the state's law enforcement history.
Bail and the Current Plea
The Kerala High Court suspended his sentence and granted bail on 15 October, pending disposal of his appeal. Thachankary subsequently approached the court seeking a relaxation of his bail conditions to allow him to travel abroad for employment. It is this plea — filed even as medical records confirmed he had been hospitalised throughout his custody — that drew the court's ire on Friday.
The court warned that such conduct had to be viewed seriously and that it could consider cancelling the bail already granted. The matter has been posted for further hearing on Thursday.
Wider Significance
The case has drawn considerable attention in Kerala and beyond, touching on systemic questions about whether senior officers exploit jail-hospital arrangements to avoid actual incarceration. Critics argue the episode highlights a broader pattern in which high-ranking convicts leverage medical grounds to serve sentences in relative comfort. This comes amid growing public scrutiny of accountability standards for top-tier public officials in India.
Point of View
Then seeking permission to work abroad, exposes a credibility gap in how high-profile convictions translate into real accountability. If the bail is cancelled, it sets a precedent; if it is not, the optics for Kerala's judiciary and prison system will be difficult to manage. The broader question this case raises — whether senior officials routinely avoid custodial rigour through medical admissions — deserves legislative and administrative scrutiny, not just judicial rebuke in a single case.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Kerala High Court warn ex-DGP Thachankary of bail cancellation?
The Kerala High Court warned Thachankary of possible bail cancellation after he sought permission to travel to Dubai for employment, even though medical records showed he had spent his entire four-week custody inside a jail hospital rather than a prison cell. Justice A. Badharudeen found the contradiction — citing serious illness in custody while claiming fitness for foreign employment — troubling enough to flag bail cancellation as a possibility.
What was Thachankary convicted of?
Thachankary was convicted by the Kottayam Vigilance Court on 17 September in a disproportionate assets case. He was found guilty of accumulating assets worth ₹30.84 lakh — equivalent to 52.33% of his known income — between 2003 and 2007, and sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of ₹30.84 lakh.
When was Thachankary granted bail by the Kerala High Court?
The Kerala High Court suspended his sentence and granted him bail on 15 October, pending the disposal of his appeal against the Kottayam Vigilance Court conviction.
What is the significance of Thachankary's conviction in Kerala?
Thachankary is the first former police officer of DGP rank in Kerala to be imprisoned following a criminal conviction, making his case a landmark in the state's law enforcement accountability history.
What happens next in the case?
The Kerala High Court has posted the matter for further hearing on Thursday. The court could at that stage decide whether to cancel Thachankary's bail or allow proceedings on his application to relax bail conditions for foreign travel.
