India's Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the appointment of the country's anti-graft chief for involvement in a palmolein import case, in another rebuke for the Congress-led coalition government.   

The rejection of PJ Thomas's appointment as central vigilance commissioner comes as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government is trying to defend itself against a series of graft scandals including a $39 billion telecoms licensing scam.

The top court said the appointment of Thomas was made last year without taking into account the 1992 case in which he, as a state official, had been accused of signing a deal to import palmoil from Malaysia at higher prices. - Reuters