Rajkot: Patola fabric theft was plotted by shopowner’s kin

RAJKOT: The theft of Rs 47 lakh worth of patola fabric was executed by the maternal uncle of the owner’s wife with the help of the notorious Chikligar gang, a police investigation revealed on Friday.
Two days ago, five parcels containing expensive patola were stolen from the shop of Vijay Vadher.
Probe revealed that his wife’s maternal uncle Hari Gohil and Manish Jitiya, who are both in the same trade, were involved in the theft.
Gohil, who was debt-ridden, contacted Saheb Singh Tank of Lakhtar in Surendranagar and Sujan Singh Tank of Mehemdavad in Kheda. He promised to pay them half the value of the stolen goods.
Police said Gohil had suffered a loss of Rs 40 lakh in exhibitions in Surat and Kolkata and was cheated by a customer in Andhra Pradesh.
Jitiya was also under debt and joined hands with Gohil in the crime. The duo were tasked with selling the stolen stock.
On the day of the crime, they sat in the car while other accused executed the theft.