Shillong, March 26: Hitesh Pandya, a senior official in the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), resigned after allegations that his son had connections to Kiran Patel, a conman who was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month after he impersonated as a high-ranking official from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
“I have put my resignation as I felt the government is being unnecessarily targeted by a section of the media due to my association with the CMO. I have been working in the CMO for the last 23 years and I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for whatever I am today. I will wind up my work by March 31, which will be my last working day,” said 73-year-old Pandya.
A state government official claimed that once it came to light that Pandya’s son Amit had been to Jammu and Kashmir with Kiran Patel, Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel asked Pandya to submit his resignation and leave the government accommodation.
Pandya, a former Rajkot journalist, had been employed by the Gujarat CMO for approximately 20 years. On Friday night, he met with CM Bhupendra Patel and presented his resignation.
Patel received Z+ security in Kashmir while pretending to be a senior officer in the PMO. He stated that he was sent to the Valley to investigate the potential for developing a number of sectors, including horticulture.
Gujarat BJP has suspended Amit Pandya from the organization’s primary membership.