Rajkot

Hardly a week after a complaint of fraud to the tune of Rs 52 lakhs made by a cotton mill owner against Dinesh Patel(wearing black shirt in photo), a close aide of Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel and a core committee member of the outfit himself, the government sector Dena Bank today sealed his cotton mill situated near Jaitpur highway in Rajkot district today for a Rs. 18 crore default.

The bank is also initiating the process to seal yet another property of Dinesh for a separate default of Rs. two crore.

Confirming it Dena Bank’s Zonal Manager in Rajkot Mr. M L Bunker said, ‘Sheenath Cotex Pvt Limited, a cotton mill of which Mr. Dinesh Patel is a director was sealed by us with the help of police and Mamlatdar Jaitpur. The firm has taken a total loan of Rs. 16.28 crore from the bank and did not return it despite several reminders. It has now become Rs. 18 crore including interest. It had turned in to NPA since 2013 and the mill management had even lost a legal appeal in this regard. We are also looking forward to seal yet another property of Mr. Patel, the Shreeji Trading, for another default of Rs. 2 crore.’

‘We would auction the property to recover our dues,’ the bank manager said.

A week ago, Mr. Ashok Dhamelia, a cotton mill owner in Amreli, and his son Punabhai has given a written complaint to the Damnagar police and Superintendent of Police of Amreli district alleging that they had provided products valued at Rs. 1.20 crore to Dinesh and one of his associates in 2012 from their mill. But they have not paid the remaining Rs 52 so far despite several requests and a written affidavit in this regard .

Dinesh, who has been inducted in the core committee of PAAS which is demanding reservation for Patel community in the state, was among one of the outfit conveners nabbed by the police on August 25 following which 10 people were killed state wide violence which also saw the burning down of over 200 vehicles and more than a dozen police posts and government offices.

– DeshGujarat