Jain P. Raj, son of beleaguered Kerala CPI(M) leader P. Jayarajan, has rebutted allegations made by Youth Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil during a recent press conference that he had built a palace-like house. Mr. Raj has stated that the accusations are “baseless and a result of misinformation.”
Mr. Raj has been in the news since former Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and CPI(M) member Manu Thomas accused him of having links to gold smuggling and a criminal gang.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Raj has said that he had no obligation to respond to Mr. Mamkootathil’s claims. However, he chose to address the “misinformation.”
He explained that the house in question is “a modest structure” built on his mother’s ancestral land in Mangattidam panchayat and “not a luxurious palace.”
Mr. Raj clarified that he had earlier wanted to build a house began at Pattayam, but the combined cost of land and construction exceeded his savings. Consequently, he started construction in Mangattidam panchayat on 18 cents of ancestral land registered in his name by his mother.
He described the house as modest with two bedrooms on each floor. He said the house construction started through his savings from over 13 years of work in the Gulf. When financial constraints halted progress, his mother contributed ₹10 lakh from her retirement fund, and his wife’s family also assisted. Despite this, Mr. Raj took a ₹17.5-lakh loan from his mother’s fixed deposit and received ₹4 lakh from his father’s MLA pension, he said in the Facebook post.
Mr. Raj stated he currently has a debt of ₹17.5 lakh.
He also emphasised having “no business dealings” involving his father or anyone else, challenging anyone to prove otherwise. He urged those spreading “false accusations” to consider the facts.
Dismissing any business dealings involving his father or others, Mr. Raj challenged “anyone to substantiate the allegations against him.”
Published - July 02, 2024 11:25 am IST
