THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has denied permission for DGP Jacob Thomas who is under suspension to travel abroad. In a reply given on April 19 to an intimation letter to the government, chief secretary Paul Antony cited the ongoing disciplinary proceedings to deny permission to the IPS officer to go on a 35-day foreign trip to the USA, Canada and Switzerland "In terms of existing instructions, prior permission of competent authority for private visits abroad is required; a mere intimation in this regard will not suffice. Furthermore, a disciplinary action has been instituted against you and is continuing," the reply said. The chief secretary charged the officer for not cooperating with the disciplinary inquiry against him, and said that his foreign travel would further delay the inquiry. The officer had sought permission to travel abroad from April 25 to May 30.Sources said that since foreign affairs is the Centre's domain, the Centre has issued guidelines for foreign travel, in which irrespective of whether an officer is under suspension or not, the officer should take permission from the government. However, sources added that merely facing a disciplinary action alone cannot be a reason for denying permission for travelling abroad.Meanwhile, sources close to the officer said that the government's actions are nothing less than retaliatory and vengeful and done with the sole intention of harassing him. They also alleged that the government has not provided the required documents to prepare an effective defence, and all the actions against him is being initiated because he tried to implement the anti-corruption policy of the government without fear or favour.On Tuesday, the government had served the officer with a second suspension order when he was already under suspension for making adverse remarks against the government and for making speech that was found to be inflammatory in nature, during the Ockhi disaster.The second suspension order was served on him for publishing his service story without taking the consent of the government. The book had remarked about cases that were sub-judice, including the Pattoor land grab case, appointment case involving former industries minister E P Jayarajan and bar bribery case involving former finance minister and KC(M) leader K M Mani.

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