Did Mandlewala attend Swaroop’s dinner party?

Did the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry president Nilesh Mandlewala go to the residence of Deepak Swaroop, who was removed as Surat police commissioner on Saturday, for a party on Saturday night?

Mandlewala vehemently denied having gone to the party, which was organised on the occasion of the birth of Swaroop’s grandson. However, news circles were abuzz with reports that he had indeed gone there. In fact, SMSes about Mandlewala having gone to the party were doing rounds the whole day.

“Shame on the part of the chamber president. He has attended the dinner party of Deepak Swaroop, ex-CP of Surat after attending janaakrosh meeting at Lions Hall,” reads one SMS doing the round.
This came as a big shock to many persons as Mandlewala had attended a meeting of leading citizens at Lions Club Hall in Adajan on Saturday evening, and assured full support to the agenda decided in the meeting.

However, when questioned by reporters, Mandlewala said there was no truth in the allegation.

“The allegation is misleading and is a ploy to defame me. I did not go to the party. I was busy with the gangrape matter meeting different people, and many office bearers of the chamber are witness to it,” Mandlewala said.

He also said that he was planning to initiate legal action against the persons who were behind the malicious SMSes and reports.