In a significant breakthrough in the Harni lake accident case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) achieved a major milestone on Wednesday by apprehending the prime accused, Gopal Shah, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Gopal Shah, alongside Paresh Shah, was at the forefront of the boat accident case that claimed the lives of 14 people, which included 12 children. The police have successfully arrested eight individuals associated with the case, while 11 remain at large.
Background of the accused
Gopal Shah, a former Town Development Officer in Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), faced termination from his job following multiple complaints. Undeterred, he established his consultancy in the city. Accused in the tragic incident, Gopal Shah's involvement extends beyond the lake project, as he is alleged to have provided architectural consultancy, directly or indirectly, to over 50 projects in the state, including the renowned Pavagadh temple and Ayodhya pilgrim corridor.
Gopal Shah's association with the Harni lake project took a dark turn when, in collaboration with Paresh Shah and Niraj Jain, they established a dummy company named M/S Kotiya Project. This entity submitted a bid to secure the lake's renovation on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in 2015-16. Despite concerns, the bid, backed by Gopal's recommendations, was awarded to Kotiya Project after passing through a standing committee and general board meeting.
The awarded work order was subsequently sublet to the Dolphin company, managed by Nilesh Jain and Shah duos, with Gopal Shah overseeing the architectural aspects. The funding of the project was facilitated by the other two individuals. Following the arrest of Gopal Shah, the police have initiated an investigation to apprehend the remaining two key figures in the project.
Details of ongoing investigation
Panna Momaya, DCP-Zone-4, shared insights into the ongoing investigation, confirming that the SIT is actively pursuing the case. "The police have commenced the process of attaching properties belonging to the wanted accused. Statements from Binit Kotiya, the founder of Kotiya M/s Kotiya, are currently being recorded. Notably, among those already arrested are Binit Kotiya, Gopal Shah, Nayan Gohil, Bhimsinh Yadav, Shantilal Solanki, Ankit Vasava, Ved Prakash Yadav, and Rashmikant Prajapati” said Momaya.
