Thakkar brothers assault complainant, arrested in Gujarat

The Thakkar brothers of Balaram Resort have been arrested again after Praful Thakar, the complainant in the Balaram Resort cheating case, lodged another complaint against them at Vejalpur police station for physical violence and issuing a death threat.

The city sessions court has already issued a stay order on the resort, restraining either sale, pledging or renting of the resort.  

The alleged scamsters, brothers Rajendra Thakkar and Dilip Thakkar, had raised over Rs56 crore from 120 individuals to develop Balaram Resort on the Palanpur highway, promising them hefty returns on their investments.

The Thakkars were arrested earlier after a complaint by Praful Thakar and were out on bail.  In the latest complaint, lodged about 10 days ago, Thakar claimed that he and his son Kinjal were on their way from Paldi to their office when the brothers’ car overtook them near Jawaharnagar bus stand near Vasna and forced them to stop their car. There, the Thakkar brothers got down from their car along with a third person.  

In his complaint, Praful says the brothers started abusing him to which he objected. However, instead of mellowing down, both the accused thrashed Thakar even as the latter continued to sit inside his car.

Scared by the sudden attack, Thakar and his son began crying for help, but the brothers left the spot after threatening to kill them. 

During the course of legal proceedings in the cheating case, Thakar had said in the city sessions court that the accused brothers had swindled him of Rs1.35 crore under the Balaram Resort project owing to which the court had granted a stay order.  

It may be recalled that the Thakkar siblings had sold 50% stake in the resort to one Harshad Mehta and despite having got disposed of the entire 100% holding by March 2012, they continued to float attractive deals among their friends and foreigners in the name of the resort, misappropriating crores of rupees as part of the scam.

According to sources, even crime branch officials collaborated with the accused duo in the scam.

Thakar told DNA that he has sought police protection for himself and his family as he feels threatened. He has said that the Thakkar brothers should be held responsible if any untoward incident were to happen with any of his family members.