Vipul Chaudhary, the high-profile politician and cooperator was finally shown door even from the Mehsana Milk Union which he treated till recently as his strong hold. He was out first from the GCMMF and now from Mehsana. The worst thing is he cannot stage a comeback at least for the next three years.
Vipul Chaudhary failed to get any relief from Appellate Authority, Government of Gujarat as well as the Gujarat High Court and was directed to vacate his office as Chairman, Mehsana Milk Union in an order delivered on Tuesday.
Commentators say that the game is up for Vipul who enjoyed the reputation of being master at the art of shifting camps. Being a Congressman he shifted to BJP camp when Narendra Modi was growing in strength and GCMMF election was on his head. But he kept his options open and missed no chance to hobnob with Vaghela and others. His is a case of falling between two stools, said a commentator keeping close tab of Gujarat co-operative politics.
In the wake of Supreme Court judgment delivered on March19 we wrote in these columns “Cooperators wonder at the future course of his cooperative career in case the Supreme Court also dittos the Registrar’s order of removing him from his parent milk union Mehsana. Many feel this is inevitable in the wake of Thursday judgment.”
His close aide Mr Joseph PurathurKittan shot back that these lines were not necessary meaning thereby that what is in the womb of future could not be guessed”. Joseph failed to see the point that it is the job of media to look ahead and think aloud fearlessly. Today Indian Cooperative stands vindicated.
The saga of Vipul’s downfall began in 2013 when majority of Board members of GCMMF wanted to remove him by moving a no-confidence motion against him.
Chronology
1.14 Directors of the Board submitted a requisition letter dated 23/24-10-2013 to MD, GCMMF for arranging the GCMMF Board meeting to discuss “No confidence motion” against Sh. Vipul Chaudhary, Chairman, GCMMF.
2.Accordingly, as per provisions of the bye-law No.26.2.16, a Board meeting notice dated 23-10-2013 was issued by MD to the GCMMF Board of Directors for the meeting to be held on 26-10-2013.
3.The said notice was challenged by Shri Vipul Chaudhary in the Gujarat High Court where in stay granted on Board meeting to be convened on 26-10-13 for no confidence motion.
4.The above stay order challenged in Division Bench and vide order dated 4-12-13, Division Bench modified the order of the Single Judge and granted permission to convene the Board Meeting to discuss No Confidence Motion.
5.In the meeting dated 5-12-2013, 14 out of 16 Directors, unanimously passed the Resolution of No confidence motion against Chairman, GCMMF.
6.Shri Vipul Chaudhary challenged the order of Division Bench before the Hon’ble Supreme Court. However no relief was granted and as per direction of Supreme court, new Chairman of GCMMF was elected on 1-8-2014.
7.After arguments of both the side, Supreme Court finally, passed order dated 19-3-2015 and dismissed appeal filed by Sh. Vipul Chaudhary and hold that democratic principles have to be read into the statute pertaining to Co-op Societies and hence there is a power to pass “no confidence” motion.
8.Further, the Government of Gujarat had issued an order on 12-3-2015 under Section 76/B of Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act removing Sh Vipul Chaudhary as Chairman of Mehsana District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd. Mehsana in view of the corruption and financial irregularities amounting to Rs 1200 crores.
This dismissal was done to protect the interest of millions of milk producers. The said order was challenged by Sh Vipul Chaudhary in the Hon. Supreme Court. Hon. Supreme Court refused to grant any relief vide order dated March 20th, 2015and directed him to approach appropriate forum before 30th March 2015.
9.Accordingly Sh Vipul Chaudhary approached Appellate Authority of Government of Gujarat to stay the order under Section 76/B. However, vide order dated 27th March 2015, the Appellate Authority has rejected his application to stay the said order. Therefore, Shri Vipul Chaudhary had filed petition in the Hon. High Court of Gujarat to stay the above orders. However, Hon. High Court of Gujarat has also refused to grant any relief to him and therefore, he has to vacate his office as Chairman, Mehsana Milk Union w.e.f 30th March 2015. He has been disqualified to contest any election of any cooperative society for a period of 3 years nor hold any post in any cooperative society for 3 years. The MD of Mehsana Milk Union has announced his removal as Chairman Mehsana Milk Union vide office order MD/14-15/25238 dated 30th March, 2015.