MUMBAI: The
Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana has suspended its former secretary from its managing committee for five years for misrepresentation while enrolling members and for financial irregularities.
Bhargava Patel, who is also the head of the state
BJP's Gujarati cell, was secretary for nearly 18 months.
The elite club, founded in 1984, has actors Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, and Shatrughan Sinha as members. Land was allotted to the club by 14 housing societies of the Juhu Vile Parle Development Scheme.
Calling his suspension "orchestrated", Patel said he is being defamed to thwart his chances to seek a ticket for the 2019 assembly elections. His son, Harsh, is a corporator from Goregaon.
"The managing committee on Sunday unanimously decided to suspend Patel," said Himanshu Gokani, the current secretary. The club's president Shamit Majmudar said Patel committed gross violations while admitting members to the club, causing financial losses to the committee.
"Membership for Rs 20 lakh was given to a partnership firm for 20 years when it can be given only to a private limited company, with each membership being worth Rs 50 lakh. Three institutional memberships have been given. We had appointed a law firm to carry out an independent investigation and in their report they stated the members were clandestinely enrolled without informing the scrutiny sub-committee, the office bearers or the managing committee," Majmudar said.
Another official alleged that after the 2015 elections, data was deleted at Patel's behest. He alleged that Patel allotted space to a bank ATM promising monetary benefits and sponsorship to the club.
"We were assured that the club would benefit to the tune of Rs 12-15 lakh annually, besides gaining sponsorship for various programmes. We were also promised (cheap) RFID cards, but nothing materialised. Rs 2 lakh received was used by Patel for a private Dandiya show," said an official.
Patel called his suspension illegal as he was not given a hearing. "The allegations are false. The rules do not allow the secretary to enrol anyone. It is done only by the president. As for the monetary benefits from the bank, it is for the committee to recover the money. The RFID cards were never made and no money changed hands."
Illustration for representational purpose.
