Jiji Thomson, Director General of Sports Authority of India has been repatriated to his parent cadre–Kerala as he is likely to be appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the state. Thomson, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, is presently working as Director General, Sports Authority of India under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Thomson claimed the central government dilly-dallied on his ‘promised’ promotion as sports secretary for six months. Sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal too lobbied for Thomson’s promotion but bureaucratic hurdles at various levels meant the move never materialized.
However, it is believed a pending court case against him in Kerala came in the way of his promotion. He was one of the many accused in the palmolein oil import scam dating back to 1991 when he was a director at the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation. The first accused in the case was former Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran.
As chief secretary of the Kerala government, Thomson’s first major assignment will be the crisis-ridden National Games, which begin on January 31. Sources suggested that if the court case against him is set aside, Sonowal may seek his return to Delhi after the National Games as the sports secretary.
A formal order expected early next week.
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