Over 700 workers protest move to seal Gitanjali group

Mumbai: Over 700 employees of the Mehul Choksi-owned Gitanjali group protested in front of one of the units of the firm in Andheri on Friday. They were protesting against the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s decision to seal it in connection with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam.

An employee said that he had been working for the Gitanjali group for the past 15 to 17 years and had not yet received their current month’s salary. He also claimed that no one was helping them to get their gratuity fund.

All the employees present were demanding their current month’s salary and gratuity funds, or else they demanded that the government either reopen the unit or provide them with alternative employment.

Both Choksi and his nephew, businessman Nirav Modi, are accused of defrauding the PNB to the tune of  Rs 11,400 crore. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the incident along with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had raided several jewellery shops of Gitanjali situated in Mumbai and all over India.

Employees from five branches came together on Friday afternoon and started protesting outside the sealed shop of Gitanjali in Andheri. Tushar Jatekar, one of the jewellery makers, who has been working in the company for almost 17 years, said, “We all collaborated to protest against the act done by our boss and later on by government agencies.”

Jatekar further said, “We were working so hard for company, at least the government should give our payment which is with the company. We are six family members and I am the sole breadwinner. By the time I get new job, how would we survive without payment.”