Ex-serviceman's Family Seeks Help to Reclaim House

Published: 05th May 2015

VELLORE: For the family of a 38-year-old ex-serviceman, his sudden hospitalisation came as a huge shock. But even before the family could recover from the situation, came another huge blow as a nationalised bank auctioned their house due to non-repayment of housing loan of Rs 1.82 lakh. The family, on Monday petitioned  the district administration, seeking help to reclaim their house.

A resident of EB Cross Road in Tiruvalam, G Venkatesan had borrowed Rs 3.70 lakh from the State Bank of India in Vellore in 2006 for constructing a house.

He suffered subdural haemorrhage and paralysis in October 2014

and is hospitalised since. He was discharge about two weeks ago.

After the family came to know about the e-auction of their house, they approached the district administration on Monday seeking its intervention.

Venkatesan’s wife Kalaiselvi said their lives are in a quandary.

With the hope of getting back the house fading away, the elderly parents and the young wife of the ex-serviceman, who retired after serving for 17 years, have appealed to Collector R Nanthagopal to help them.

The family said they were doing all that they can to save Venkatesan. His pension of Rs 14,000 per month is the only revenue for the family.“What will we do now, where will my daughters and bed-ridden husband go,” cried Kalaiselvi as she held their newly born daughter Santhoshini (5 month-old). The couple’s elder daughter Sivadharshini (3) was playing next to his motionless father, who was also brought to the Collectorate on Monday.

Before October, Venkatesan had paid Rs 5 lakh at one go and was planning to settle the remaining amount of Rs 1.82 lakh as well. “But, everything went awry after Venkatesan fell ill. We have spent several lakhs on his treatment,” said Venkatesan’s brother-in-law Sekar.

A senior official of SBI said the bank had followed all procedures and issued notice to the family.  After declaring the property as non-performing asset, the bank had communicated the same to the family and waited for 150 days before e-auctioning the property.

“The house has been put for taken on the second auction. During the first auction, there were no bidders for the house. Once the property is auctioned, the bank has no right over it,” the official added.