How a deputy ‘framed’ Gujarat minister’s son

When Kanjibhai Patel was asked whether Chauhan could have been involved, he said it was possible. He said the CID was moving in the right direction. ‘‘If they are doing something there must be some substance in it. They are going in the right direction,’’ he said, adding that the whole affair had affected his political career.

When contacted, the minister said, ‘‘I would not speak on anything. Let it come in papers for some days and then I would represent my case.’’

On June 26, 2001, a truck carrying khairwood was intercepted by forest officials on the outskirts of Vadodara and five persons were arrested. They were carrying photocopies of a diary, which they claimed belonged to Sunil Patel. The pages carried an entry of his residence number and the numbers of some junior forest officers. One of the arrested, Nisar Sheikh, even took Sunil Patel’s name. Amid allegations that the minister himself was involved in the smuggling, then CM Keshubhai Patel had ordered an inquiry by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) in July, who absolved Sunil of the crime.

The report said the handwriting did not match with that of Sunil Patel’s, nor was there any other evidence against him. It later transpired the whole episode was a ‘frame up’ and that some junior foresters, unhappy with Kanjibhai, and close to Chauhan, were involved in it.

A couple of months ago, the CID arrested Divisional Forest Officer P.A. Valavi, Assistant Conservator of Forests J.L. Jhala and Range Forest Officer Baldev Vaghela.

At the time of the incident, Valavi was posted in Valsad from where the truck originated, Vaghela was posted at Rajgadh in Halol and Jhala was in Bodeli. While Vaghela and Jhala were in the area, seen as a stronghold of Chauhan, Forest Department sources said Valavi had a tiff with Kanjibhai Patel over transfer. It seems during interrogation, the name of Prabhatsinh Chauhan cropped up.