KOCHI: The talks to settle the bounced cheque case against Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president Thushar Vellappally, who is also the Kerala convenor of the NDA, reached a stalemate on Monday as he refused to pay the amount demanded by Nazil Abdullah, the complainant.
Thushar, who had earlier expressed his willingness for an out-of-court settlement, toughened his stand on Monday, making it clear he was not ready to pay the amount demanded by Nazil. According to Thushar,
Nazil, a native of Mathilakam in Thrissur, demanded AED 3 million (approximately Rs 5.87 crore) to settle the case. However, Thushar refused to pay as he felt the case would not stand. “The complainant who filed the case demanding payment of AED 9 million is now demanding AED 3 million. I am not willing to pay the amount as it is a non-existent deal. The case will continue and I will be presenting all relevant documents before the court,” Thushar told Express.
He claimed the cheque was stolen from the now-defunct Boeing Construction Company LLC. “There is no personal contract between me and Nazil. The cheque he produced pertains to the Boeing Constructions and it is a joint account. So, other partners also have to sign it. The contract between Boeing Constructions and Nazil’s company was worth only AED 6.75 lakh. Due to the recession in the UAE, the client defaulted on the payment of AED 7.5 lakh to our company for which we have documental evidence. Though we suffered a huge loss, we managed to make part payment to the subcontractors including Nazil. So there is no need for me to go for a settlement,” said Thushar. However, Nazil said that negotiations were on but the amount offered by Thushar was too meagre for him to accept.
“I don’t want to trouble him and that’s why I accepted the offer for mediation. I have never been a person to hold a grudge. If he refuses to pay the amount, it will land him in trouble. The arguments questioning the validity of the cheque will not stand. Even if it is a joint account, he cannot shrug off the responsibility as he has signed it,” Nazil told Express.
The Prosecutor of Ajman has given two days time for both parties to produce supporting documents. If the talks fail to yield results, the case will reach the court and it will be difficult for Thushar to return home, he said.
Thushar was arrested by UAE Police on his arrival in the country on August 21 based on a complaint lodged by Nazil. Though he was remanded to Ajman central prison, Thushar was released on bail on Thursday.