Tomin Thachankary denies sacking from Kerala Books and Publishing Society

Thiruvananthapuram: Tomin Thachankary who denied rumours that he was removed from post of the managing director of Kerala Books and Publishing Society (KBPS) following allegations regarding the purchase of printing machines, claimed that he had himself asked the government to relieve him from the post. Earlier, the decision of the LDF government to give DGP post to Mr Thachankary who was facing many allegations had resulted in a controversy. Mr Thachankary, who is the commandant of Fire and Rescue Services, was also holding the additional charge of the managing director of KBPS. 2011 batch IPS officer K. Karthik has replaced Thachankary as the MD of KBPS.

The allegation was that Mr Thachankary was removed following complaints that he held discussions to buy expensive printing machines from a German firm without the permission of the government. Mr Thachankary said that he was serving as the MD of KBPS for the past five and a half years. My principal posting was in Fire Force in Thiruvananthapuram and KBPS was in Kochi. I had to shuttle between the two entities. It was causing many personal inconveniences.

Hence, I requested the government to release him of the extra duty after the third volumes of academic texts are printed, Mr Thachankary said. Mr Thachankary said that the allegation that he held discussions with the foreign firm when he went to attend the international expo in Berlin, Germany was false. The propaganda that Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) had removed him from the post also did not hold merit. Moreover, if there were such an allegation it was for the Director of Printing and Stationary to probe the issue. They have also not given any communication in this regard, he said. As the CMO or printing department has made any such remarks, the onus was on those who make such statements to prove them, Mr Thachankary said.