Thiruvananthapuram: Former Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) President Prayar Gopalakrishnan and member Ajay Tharayil rebutted the corruption allegations raised against them on Thursday. The duo claimed that they had made unique moves to end the corruption in TDB. During their tenure, they made e-tenders compulsory for PWD works above Rs10 lakh. The duo said that they were not given the opportunity to clarify their side of the story on media and hence convened a press conference at the capital.
During their tenure, they had received travel allowances worth Rs 12 lakh each. They were accused of corruption worth around Rs 24 lakh in the name of travel allowances. Prayar Gopalakrishnan offered to end his political and social life if his rivals managed to prove the allegations against them.
The duo claimed that they could provide bonafide documents in connection with their journeys. A vigilance probe was on against them for sanctioning works to the tune of Rs 1.15 crore. While a section contest that the meetings held under them had given approval to these works, most of them were reportedly sanctioned by devasom Secretary VS Jayakumar in their absence.
