KOCHI: Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president Thushar Vellappally, who was arrested in connection with a cheque bouncing case in the UAE, said that he was unable to completely settle the payment arrears of sub-contractors, including Nazil Abdullah, as he suffered a loss to the tune of one million dirhams (around Rs 1.95 crore) in construction business.
“There was recession in the UAE eight years ago and contract companies were not getting paid. This, in turn, adversely affected sub-contractors. Though I was unable to provide the full amount to all suppliers, I ensured partial settlement of dues from my savings so that they did not suffer a huge loss,” Thushar told Express.
Thushar said the firm in question - Boeing Construction Company LLC - was closed down years ago and since there were three other partners, he was unaware of its day-to-day affairs. He said the client had given different assurances to him and Nazil regarding the same work. “I lost around 1 million dirhams owing to non-payment of contract amount by the client. While I shut down the company, Nazil landed in serious trouble. I wasn’t responsible for his sufferings. Since he understood my innocence, we agreed to settle the issue amicably,” he said.
Thushar said though the company’s finances were in doldrums, he settled the salary arrears of the 100-odd staff of Boeing Constructions and provided them air tickets to return home. “Despite the financial crunch, I ensured partial payment of the contract amount to the sub-contractors. Some people may not be happy as I did not settle their dues completely, but I did my level best to help them,” he said.
Thushar puts record straight
Thushar said the firm in question - Boeing Construction Company LLC - was closed down years ago and since there were three other partners, he was unaware of its day-to-day affairs.