KOCHI: In a dramatic turn of events, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Muvattupuzha Urban Co-operative Bank, which evicted two minor sisters and sealed their house for defaulting on loan repayment by their hospitalised father, thereby kicking up a row, resigned from the post within a few hours after Minister for Cooperation VN Vasavan ordered stringent action against the officials responsible for the action.
Bank CEO Jose K Peter stepped down after submitting his resignation letter to chairman and CPM state committe member Gopi Kottamurikkal on Wednesday noon. “I am quitting so as to avoid any kind of action against the officials who had not committed any lapses,” Peter told media persons. “Though the minister has said that action has been initiated against the officers responsible, no order has been received so far.”
The Muvattupuzha joint registrar of co-operative societies submitted a preliminary report stating that the bank officials had failed to follow the state government’s direction to to arrange alternative shelter those evicted while initiating the attachment proceedings. Following this, the minister ordered action against the officials.
On Saturday, the officials had attached the property of Ajesh Kumar V A in Paipra after asking his twin daughters to vacate their house. Later, MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan, along with local residents, broke open the lock and took the children inside.
It’s not govt policy, says minister
Kannur: The controversial eviction of minor girls and attachment of their house at Muvattupuzha by the CPM-ruled urban cooperative bank officials is not the policy of the government, Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan said on Wednesday. He said he has directed the officials concerned to take action against those who had attached the house of Ajesh after evicting his twin daughters. “The government policy on such issues is that when attachment procedures are being taken against people who have only three or four cents of land, housing facilities should be arranged for the affected parties,” said Vasavan.
No word from bank on CITU having repaid loan: Ajesh
Kochi: Nearly four days after the CITU claimed to have repaid his loan in a face-saving attempt by C, Ajesh Kumar V A said he was yet to get any communication from the CPM-controlled cooperative bank on the settlement of the account. The CITU move, which was viewed as a face-saving attempt by the CPM, came after Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and local residents broke the lock of the house sealed by the bank.
“I have not received any information from the bank. If the money is repaid, they have to return the title deed of my property and other documents,” said Ajesh.