Former MLA V.K.C. Mammad Koya who is contesting from Areekkad ward of Kozhikode Municipal Corporation is planning to move a defamation case against District Congress Committee President K.C.Abu. Mr.Koya told reporters here on Friday that Mr.Abu’s allegations on the sale of Comtrust property were far from reality.
“Mr.Abu has to apologise and make a public statement. Or else I am suing him for a compensation worth Rs.1 crore”, Mr.Koya said.
Mr.Abu had alleged on Thursday that the CPI (M) had tricked the government and the public to purchase Comtrust land and sell it to Mr.Koya at a much higher price, earning a fair profit for the party.
The CPI (M) District Secretary P.Mohanan refuted the allegations on Friday and claimed that the Comtrust land deal was done in a transparent manner with the permission of the Kerala High Court.
“Quite contrary to Mr.Abu’s arguments, the Save Comtrust Society was formed in 1996 with representations from all trade unions and headed by M.Bhaskaran, before he became the Kozhikode Mayor . It was when the Provident Fund Commissioner issued a notice to attach the Comtrust property in 2002, that the High Court ordered to sell some part of the property to clear the debt.
The sale was overseen by the High Court and the highest bidder was Kozhikode District Cooperative Travel and Tourism Development Society and Centre for Professional Education (KTDS) Ltd, which had some CPI (M ) leaders as directors.
The Society had borrowed Rs.4 crore from the District Cooperative Bank to purchase 45 cents of land.
When it could not repay the debt, it requested for an interest waiver which was granted by the High Court, which in turn gave permission to the society to sell the land. Again, the sale was made to the highest bidder, Vyapari Trade Centre, a company comprising around 100 members chaired by Mr.Mammad Koya”, Mr.Mohanan said.
“The CPI (M) has not earned anything from any of these sales and the attempt to portray Mr.Mammad Koya as a real estate don is unfair, Mr. Mohanan said and added that the party always wanted the government to take over the Comtrust land and develop it in a creative manner.
“In fact the previous government had passed an ordinance to this effect just before the Assembly polls. The UDF government did not follow it up properly”, he added.
Former Mayors M.Bhasakran, T.P.Dasan and MLA A Pradeep Kumar were also present at the press meet.
