KOCHI: Former Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) Chairman N. Venugopal said the liability notice for missing valuables from the authority’s guest house was foisted on him based on fabricated and non-existent documents.
He made this statement in a detailed response to the liability notice served on him by the GCDA Secretary for ₹1.51 lakh towards the cost of valuables that had gone missing from the guest house after Mr. Venugopal vacated it last May.
The written response said the cost of missing property, if any, should be recovered from the custodian of the guest house. The officials concerned had prepared an inventory of the valuables and collected the keys when Mr. Venugopal vacated it on May 25 last year. The inventory, which the officials had got counter-signed by him, was silent on any loss of property.
“It was ridiculous to serve a notice one fine morning seven months later, asking to compensate for the loss of civil and electrical equipment as per the stock register,” the former GCDA chief said.
Mr. Venugopal also took umbrage at the Secretary issuing notice to him instead of serving it on the officer in charge of the guest house. He said the notice, which was issued without informing him about the loss of valuables at any time since he vacated the guest house, was aimed at defaming him and tarnishing his image.
He repeated the allegation that GCDA officials had undertaken another verification of property in his absence on May 31 last year and filed a report on June 15, according to which equipment worth Rs.36,520 in the stock register was missing.
“It was a laughable list, which included items like bedsheet, pillow cover, carpet, glass sets, trays, etc. I will be serving a legal notice on the Secretary on Tuesday asking to withdraw the defamatory accusation immediately and to tender a public apology,” Mr. Venugopal told The Hindu .
The response filed by Mr. Venugopal contained the list of valuables purchased for the guest house when he assumed charge and the second inventory report purportedly prepared in his absence.
He wondered as to why the Secretary had failed to issue even a single notice in the last seven months since the second inventory report was prepared. He also sought to know the details of occupancy of the guest house since he vacated it.
