"Asking for Arjun's son's account details was my mistake," says Manaf

KOZHIKODE: Lorry owner Manaf, has firmly denied allegations that he profited from the death of Arjun, a victim of the Shirur landslide. Speaking to the media today alongside his brother Mubeen, Manaf clarified that although the RC of the vehicle involved is in Mubeen’s name, the family manages the business collectively.

"After the death of our father, the four of us took over the business. The vehicles were purchased in Mubeen’s name, but we all handle the operations together. I have never taken money from anyone and I have no financial issues. My accounts are open for scrutiny," Manaf stated.

He further addressed allegations regarding financial transactions, specifically concerning Arjun’s family. Manaf explained that during a school event today, he had intended to give money to Arjun’s son as a gesture of support, but he did not accept any money for himself. "I wanted to give the money to Arjun’s son to help him in the future. My mistake was in asking for his account number, but it was out of good intentions."

Manaf also clarified his role in the creation of a YouTube channel that had sparked further controversy. "The YouTube channel was started by media workers to provide updates on Arjun's search efforts. Since I was the one constantly present at the site, the channel was named after me, ‘Lorry Owner Manaf’. Today, the channel has over two lakh followers. The plan was to stop the channel once Arjun was found."

He emphasized that the media's involvement was crucial in bringing attention to Arjun’s disappearance and that without their coverage, the case might have gone unnoticed. "I never intended to create any controversy. The channel’s purpose was to inform the public about Arjun’s search efforts and to remind people of the tragedy."