Thomas tells SC he is a man of ''impeccable integrity''

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Controversial CVC P J Thomastoday told the Supreme Court that he was a man of "impeccableintegrity" and had fulfilled all criteria for appointment tothe post after being selected as Secretary in the Government.

He said among the shortlisted bureaucrats, he was thesenior-most and only person who had served as Chief Secretary,besides having got clearance from the Central VigilanceCommission to be considered for empanelment for appointment asCVC as there was no sanction for his prosecution in thePalmolein import case.

Thomas said the question relating to the documentsrelating to the corruption case not being circulated beforethe panel headed by the Prime Minister had no relevance in thebackdrop of the selection process adopted for the appointmentof CVC.

"I also must state that the inquiry about thedocuments being placed before the three-member committee maynot be relevant in the light of the fact that all the names onthe shortlist were of secretaries to the government, who, byvirtue of their process of selection as secretaries, aredeemed to be of impeccable integrity," he said in hisaffidavit.

He said, "It is assumed that by virtue of beingsecretaries to the Union government where they would have heldvery sensitive information in ministries like Home, ExternalAffairs, Finance and Law