Amul managing director RS Sodhi ousted; Jayenbhai Mehta gets interim charge
Ahmedabad/ New Delhi (PTI): In a sudden development, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), which markets its products under the brand name 'Amul', on Monday ousted its long-serving Managing Director R S Sodhi but did not give any reason.
However, Sodhi said he had requested the federation's board to relieve him of his duties.
The federation's Chief Operating Officer Jayenbhai Mehta has been given the interim charge of the Managing Director (MD).
Sodhi, who has been associated with the federation for more than four decades, put in his papers soon after the board asked him to relinquish the charge.
While the reason for the sudden move could not be immediately ascertained, Sodhi said he was on an extension and had requested the board to relieve him from the responsibility of the MD.
At the federation's board meeting held at the premises of AmulFed dairy in Gandhinagar on Monday, it was decided to end the services of Sodhi.
"As per the resolution no.2 of the board meeting, it was proposed to end your service as the federation's MD with immediate effect. Thus, you are hereby directed to relinquish your charge as MD with immediate effect and hand it over to federation COO, Jayenbhai Mehta," according to a communication sent by the board to Sodhi.
The communication was signed by the federation's chairman Shamalbhai Patel and Vice Chairman Valamjibhai Humbal.
Sodhi said he is "very happy" with the federation's decision and refuted some reports which suggested that he has been "sacked" and his office has been "sealed".
"My term as MD ended two years back and I was on extension. I had requested the board to relieve me from this responsibility. The board had told me to wait for some time saying they will relieve me once they find a suitable replacement" Sodhi told reporters.
"When I again requested the GCMMF board to relieve me, they finally accepted my request and relieved me today. It was my own decision to step down and I am very happy today" he said.
When Sodhi took over as MD, the federation's turnover was only Rs 9,774 crore in the 2010-11 fiscal. It touched Rs 61,000 crore in 2021-22 financial year.
Sodhi, who has been working with the federation for more than 40 years, served as the MD for 12 years.
He was first appointed as MD in 2010 for five years. In 2015, he was re-appointed to the same post till 2020. Since then, he has been on an extension.
Sodhi did his MBA from the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and started his career as a manager with the federation.
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Ex-Army officer assaulted, robbed at gunpoint by woman he met through matrimonial website
Mathura(UP), Apr 5 (PTI): A retired Army colonel from Haryana has filed a police complaint here, alleging that he was held hostage, assaulted, looted and forced to participate in an "obscene video" at gunpoint with a woman he met through a matrimonial website, police said on Saturday.
The woman from Mathura, who was allegedly in on the plan to rob him, was working with other accomplices, the ex-armyman said in his complaint filed on Thursday.
According to Barsana Station House Officer (SHO) Raj Kamal Singh, Colonel Rajneesh Soni (retired), a resident of Gurugram, reported that he was contacted by a woman from Barsana on a matrimonial website in January. The woman allegedly agreed to marry him, and they began communicating.
The woman allegedly persuaded the colonel to visit Barsana on January 25, requesting that he visit the Radharani temple. When he arrived, she arranged for his stay at a guest house and took him on a tour of the area, including a visit to the temple, the complainant said.
After returning to the guest house, the woman and her accomplices allegedly told the colonel that her brother had been involved in an accident and they needed to leave immediately. They then led him to a waiting car.
"Once outside the town limits, the colonel alleges that he was attacked by the occupants of the car. They seized his phone, physically assaulted him, and forced him to contact relatives and friends to transfer money," the SHO said.
"He was then taken back to the guest house, where he was allegedly forced to participate in obscene videos and photographs at gunpoint. He was threatened that the videos would be made public if he reported the incident," the officer said.
The colonel has alleged that his purse, bag, gold chain, debit card and Rs. 12,000 in cash were stolen from the guest house.
After an unsuccessful attempt at locating the perpetrators himself, the colonel finally reported the incident to the Barsana police two days ago, he said.
"A case has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS and all facts are being investigated. Further action will be taken as per facts found in the investigation," the SHO said.
