Gujarat CM's Addl PRO resigns after son's arrest in 'fake PMO official' case

Additional PRO in the Gujarat chief minister's office (CMO) has resigned after his son, Amit Pandya was arrested in the fake PMO case. Amit Pandya accompanied Kiren Patel to Jammu and Kashmir who posed as a senior official of the PMO and availed five-star hospitality.

Gandhinagar (Gujarat): Days after Kiran Patel's arrest in Jammu and Kashmir for posing as a senior official of the Prime Minister Office (PMO) and enjoying Z+ security in the valley, additional Public Relations Officer (PRO) to Gujarat Chief Minister, Hitesh Pandya resigned from his post on Friday. Hitesh resigned after his son Amit Pandya, who accompanied Kirn Patel during his J&K trips was also arrested.

According to official sources, Amit Pandya associated with the Bhartiya Janata Party heads the social media of the party from North Zone, Gujarat as its in-charge. Amit was suspended from the party for his alleged involvement in the fake PMO case. Hithesh Pandya on the other hand has been serving as the PRO of the Gujarat chief minister's office for over two decades now. Hitesh has served Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was the chief minister of the state for over 12 years. Hitesh then served as a PRO to Anandi Patel, Vijay Rupani, and Bhupesh Patel, the current chief minister.

Sources said that the episode of Kiran Patel availing five-star hospitality and enjoying Z+ security by the Jammu and Kashmir administration while posing as a senior PMO official has startled the authorities. Patel who also held meetings with officers in J&K claimed that he came to the valley to explore the possibility of developing various sectors here. Amit Pandya accompanied Patel on this trip. Hitesh Pandya tendered his resignation to Bhupesh Patel, the chief minister of the state, and would wind up his work by March 31.

Kiran Patel, the conman has also been booked by the Ahmedabad cops on cheating and criminal conspiracy charges for trying to usurp a senior citizen's bungalow using the same tactic. Patel was arrested by the J&K police from a five-star hotel in Srinagar after the authorities grew suspicious about his activities.