GCDA land fraud: Former chairman, officials to be prosecuted

Kochi: The Kerala government has sanctioned the prosecution of former Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) chairman N Venugopal, former secretary R Lalu, and executive committee member Akbar Badusha in connection with a series of undervalued land sales carried out by the GCDA between 2013 and 2015. The order, issued by the local self-government department (LSGD) on September 28, follows a detailed investigation by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Ernakulam, which uncovered large-scale irregularities in GCDA’s land transactions during that period. 

According to the Vigilance findings, Venugopal, Lalu, and Badusha, while holding top administrative control of GCDA, conspired with private individuals to sell prime GCDA plots in Kochi at prices far below market value, resulting in a total loss of over ₹9.7 crore to the authority. The probe found that the officials violated the Kerala Development Authorities Rules, 1984, and deliberately helped certain buyers make illegal financial gains through these land deals. 

The order issued by LSGD special secretary TV Anupama detailed four separate land deals, all executed between 2013 and 2015, in clear violation of rules. In the first instance, the trio allegedly sold 45.83 cents of GCDA land in Elamkulam Village to a group of nine private individuals — PA Abdul Rasheed of Marine Drive, Nazeer PA of Edappally, Sandeep Louis of Chilavannoor, Arun C Mathew of Edappally, Laina Roy of Maradu, Abdulla Kutty KA of Kaloor, Roy Joseph of Maradu, MJ Louis of Marine Drive, and CJ Mathew of Aluva. The sale, carried out at rates much lower than market value, caused an estimated loss of ₹1.20 crore to GCDA. 

In the second deal, 20 cents of land in Ernakulam Village were sold to Saju John Kunnath and Jancy Saju of Thuravoor, Alappuzha, resulting in a loss of ₹5.21 cr. The third transaction involved the sale of 20 cents in Ernakulam to MJ George and Thankamma George of CP Ummar Road causing a shortfall of ₹1.35 crore. In the fourth case, 20 cents in Ernakulam were sold to Roy Jacob of Panampilly Nagar at a price that deprived GCDA of ₹1.92 crore. 

VACB concluded that these transactions were carried out without inviting tenders or conducting transparent valuation, and the pricing was deliberately kept low to benefit the buyers. Together, the four deals are estimated to have resulted in a total loss of ₹9.70 crore to GCDA. 

The LSGD order states that the actions of the accused constitute offences under Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 406 and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code, dealing with criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy. After reviewing the Vigilance records, the government concluded that Venugopal, Lalu, and Badusha should face prosecution along with the 14 private beneficiaries named in the case. 

The order further notes that the accused, while in positions of authority, “willfully and dishonestly sold GCDA properties at undervalued rates,” allowing private individuals to secure unlawful enrichment while inflicting corresponding losses on the authority. 

This is not the first time former Secretary R Lalu has faced prosecution. Earlier this year, the government had also sanctioned his prosecution in connection with the Mundamveli cage fish farming scam, another VACB case that found Lalu had abused his position to favour a consultant, Simon Varghese, in a project launched without a feasibility study or tender process. According to the Vigilance report, Lalu sanctioned repeated payments totalling ₹16.3 lakh to Varghese despite project failures, resulting in a financial loss to GCDA. The LSGD had then issued a separate order authorising his prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act.