Extortion complaint against dissident BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya

An FIR was today filed against Gujarat BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya for allegedly extorting Rs two crore, assaulting and robbing a local builder, police said.
However, Kotadiya, a dissident BJP MLA from Dhari in Amreli district, claimed that he was being falsely framed because of his support to the Patel quota agitation.
In his complaint with the Vastrapur police station here, builder Madhubhai Vasani alleged that Kotadiya came to his office last evening and demanded Rs two crore for having written a letter to the authorities one and a half years ago to facilitate a construction permission for Vasani.
"Kotadiya and one of his men allegedly came to his office in Vastrapur area around 8.30 PM and demanded Rs two crore as extortion. When Vasani refused, they thrashed him and took away a gold chain and pendent worth Rs 60,000," said inspector A D Parmar.

Vasani claimed he had obtained a letter Kotadiya to obtain permission to construct on an agricultural land, but it did not help him, and still the MLA insisted that Vasani "pay" Rs two crore for the favour.
"When I asked him why he is demanding the money, Kotadiya openly said he is into extortion. When I refused, he and another person thrashed me," Vasani said in the FIR.

The incident has been captured in the CCTV camera at Vasani's office, he said.
Kotadiya, who has often criticised the BJP government, particularly on the Patel quota issue, said it was Vasani who, at the behest of some political leaders, offered him Rs 20 crore for withdrawing support to the Patel quota agitators.

The MLA claimed in a statement that Vasani called Patel agitators beggars, which made him angry. "FIR is a conspiracy against me. But I will continue my support to the agitation even if I have to go to jail," said Kotadiya.
Kotadiya won on the ticket of Gujarat Parivartan Party, of former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel, which merged with BJP two years ago. BJP has now disowned him following his inflammatory comments about BJP and its leaders.