Flamboyant Pratap Hamir Solanki was ‘mining czar’ of Kodinar

09-09-2010
Flamboyant Pratap Hamir Solanki was 'mining czar' of Kodinar
DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_flamboyant-pratap-hamir-solanki-was-mining-czar-of-kodinar_1435630

Pratap Hamir Solanki alias Shiva, the nephew of BJP MP from Junagadh, Dinu Solanki, was known for his lavish lifestyle. He was virtually ruling Kodinar as the vice-president of Kodinar municipality. Sources said Shiva not only had several lucrative businesses in his name, he reportedly also owned other businesses run in the name of his friends and relatives.

"He has a virtual monopoly of the lease business in Kodinar area and earns crores from this business each year," a source in the police told DNA. The source confirmed what others have been saying about Shiva that he never wears ordinary, inexpensive clothes nor does he buy anything of ordinary quality. For him, such inexpensive goods are 'sub-standard', the source said. Apart from the mining business which is the main business in the area, Shiva also has a stranglehold on minor lease mining such as collecting sand from the river bank. "No one can ever enter this business by competing with him," the source said.

Shiva also has a virtual monopoly on the business of cellphone tower construction in Kodinar and Junagadh. "He earns lakhs of rupees from this business," another source said. With Shiva's arrest, the police have made a major breakthrough in their investigation of the case as it may unravel the conspiracy behind the murder of RTI activist Amit Jethava. The RTI activist was killed on July 20 in front of the Gujarat high court in Ahmedabad. Shiva had allegedly paid Rs6 lakh to Bahadursinh Vadher for Jethava's murder.

Right from the day his son was killed. Jethava's father has maintained that Shiva Solanki was responsible for the murder. Shiva had earlier threatened Jethava who had made him one of the respondents in a petition filed by him.