Former Kerala Director General of Police Tomin J. Thachankary was on Thursday, 17 September 2026, convicted by the Kottayam Vigilance Court in a disproportionate assets case and sentenced to four years' rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of ₹30,84,892. The case, which has been pending for nearly two decades, marks the first time a Kerala IPS officer who retired at the rank of DGP has been sentenced to imprisonment.

The Verdict and Its Significance

Kottayam Vigilance Court Judge K.V. Rajneesh pronounced the sentence hours after finding Thachankary guilty of accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. With a four-year sentence, Thachankary is barred from seeking bail at any lower court and must approach the Kerala High Court for relief.

Thachankary becomes only the second IPS officer in Kerala history to be sentenced to imprisonment. The first was retired Inspector General of Police Lakshmana, who was convicted in a separate firing case. Crucially, Thachankary is the first officer to have retired from the top rank of DGP before being sentenced.

What the Case Is About

The Vigilance Department registered the case in 2007, alleging that between January 2003 and July 2007, Thachankary had accumulated assets 135.80 per cent in excess of his known sources of income — quantified at ₹64.70 lakh. The agency alleged he had acquired houses, flats, and other properties disproportionate to his salary.

The investigation was completed and a charge sheet filed in 2013. Thachankary challenged the proceedings, contending that some properties had come through family partition and gifts. The court rejected his plea and proceeded with the trial.

A Career That Continued Despite the Probe

The trial assumed particular significance because Thachankary continued rising through the police hierarchy even as the Vigilance investigation was underway. He had reached the rank of Additional Director General of Police by the time the charge sheet was filed and subsequently rose to become DGP before retiring in 2023 — a fact that the prosecution underscored in its arguments.

The Public Prosecutor described Thursday's verdict as significant, noting the difficulties faced by investigating officers who were Deputy Superintendents of Police while the accused was a serving senior officer. 'It was a tough time for the then investigating officers, who were Deputy Superintendents of Police, as the accused was a serving ADGP,' the Public Prosecutor said.

Sentencing and Thachankary's Response

When the court asked Thachankary whether he had anything to say before sentencing, he cited his health condition, stating he had suffered chest pain two days prior. The defence produced medical documents and sought maximum leniency. The prosecution, however, sought the maximum punishment. The court ultimately imposed four years' rigorous imprisonment.

Vigilance Department officials are expected to complete the necessary procedures, and Thachankary is to be taken to Thiruvananthapuram Central Jail.

What Comes Next

Thachankary's only immediate legal recourse is an appeal before the Kerala High Court. The verdict is being seen as a major judicial setback for an officer once considered close to the top political leadership of Kerala. It also reopens scrutiny of how serving senior police officers facing Vigilance investigations continue to be promoted within the force — a systemic question that this case brings into sharp relief.