Galfar Group's Dubious Ashoka Hotel Deal

State Government Pretends Ignorant, Crucial Documents missing from Revenue Tourism Departments

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Crucial documents establishing the Kerala Government's ownership of Kovalam Palace, the controversial property given by the state and central governments, on a platter to Galfar Mohammed Ali are missing from government records. According to an exclusive report in the leading Malayalam Daily Deshabhimani, the high level officials in the state tourism and revenue departments have played dirty role in eliminating such evidence. Tourism Minister K.V.Thomas is allegedly one of the interested parties in the hotel deal with the Galfar group.

The report in the Malayalam newspaper edited by V.S.Achuthananthan says that there are records to prove that the property belonged to the state government. The property was acquired by the state government in 1964 and handed over to the central tourism department. There were also revenue records to show that the state government acquired a property in the adjacent area. The report says that the palace was the private property of Ramavarma, husband of Regent Sethu Laxmi Bhai. The state government had acquired the plum property from the royal family.

Despite mounting controversy about the state government's dubious role in handing over a historically important property to the Galfar group, the state chief minister A.K.Antony is maintaining a studied silence. Is it part of the so called principled politicians value based politics and statesmanship? As correctly observed by many, two senior ministers of Antony Government have vested interest in transferring the property to the Galfar group. Even though revenue minister T.M.Jacob has stated that he "ordered" the archeology department to produce details of the property.

However, the archeology director has stated that he did not get any written order from the minister. Tourism Minister K V Thomas is also playing a dirty game by pretending ignorance about the state government ownership of the property. Another property in the same area, the Vellayani Palace where the agricultural college is located, was also owned by the state government. A former Member of Parliament was witness to the negotiations held in the palace to acquire the palace. The controversial palace was built in the 1930s and there are clear historical records to prove its ownership. So the Oman based Galfar group will gain control of the state palace with the help of corrupt state ministers.(courtesy - Deshabhimani)

Investigate state financial Institutions' Connection with Ashoka Hotel Deal

Dr. P. Mohammed Ali's smart way to convert public institutions into private assets. Story of ndian School Al Ghubra.

Kunjalikutty, K V Thomas and other state ministers in a hurry?

KM Editorial June 22 2004 Latest move to hand over the precious Halcyon castle of Kovalam built by the Travancore Royal family in the 1930s to the Galfar Group appears to be part of a controversial multi crore corruption deal stuck by a group of politicians, NRI businessmen who act as their benami investors and a prominent BJP leader from Kerala.The state owned Ashoka Hotel and its surrounding areas measuring 65 acres of strategically important land was "sold" to the Galfar Group of Oman headed by prominent award winning NRK businessman Dr.P.Mohammed Ali for just Rs.43 crores! Any conservative estimate would place the real estate value of the property alone at much above the total transaction. As correctly stated by V.S.Achuthananthan, the opposition leader, the real value of the property exceeds Rs.400 crores. It is an open secret that a prominent NRK businessman from Muscat is a close business associate of Muslim League leader and the state industry minister Kunjalikutty, said to be the real brain behind many multicrore projects in Kerala. After losing all the seats in the recent elections, the desperate mood of such UDF ministers like Kunjalikutty to speed up various "deals" is understandable.t. More

Indian School Seeb Building MOU cancellation to help Private School

Many parents of a private school near Seeb who were keen to withdraw their children after completing the new building in Seeb are disappointed now

MUSCAT - The future of Indian school Seeb has plunged in to darkness after cancellation of MOU signed under patronage of previous Indian Ambassador Mr. Meena - with a private firm to build New school Building with a big ground & recreational facilties. At present school functions in 3 different premises & parents are finding it very difficult to drop their children at different locations. The condition of existing buildings & class rooms is pathetic. There is no open space for games & recreational activities. There is an urgent need of custom built school & previous School Committee along with the Board & under the patronage of previous Indian Ambassador had already completed all the formalities for the construction which should have started & completed by the beginning of the academic year , April 2004. More