Gangster Jayesh Patel’s extradition hearing begins

Alleged Gujarati land grabber,

gangster

, murderer and extortionist Jayesh Patel, who also uses the name Jaysukh Ranpariya, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Monday for the start of his 13-day hearing to contest his extradition to India where he is wanted for one murder and three attempted murders in Gujarat.

Clair Dobbin QC, representing the Crown Prosecution Service on behalf of the Indian govenrment, told the court that India seeks the return of Janmagar-born Patel, to face four charges: being a party to the murder of leading Jamnagar lawyer Kirit Joshi in 2018, the attempted murder of builder Girish Der in 2020, the attempted murder of real estate broker Professor Purshottam Rajani, as well as the attempted murder of Jaisukh Pedhadia.

Patel was arrested in London on 16 March 2021 and has been lodged at Belmarsh prison ever since. The 42-year-old appeared in court via videolink from prison dressed in jeans and a white shirt. He looked much thinner than photos of him online.

“The common theme is the development of residential land,” Dobbin told the court.”The accused was locked into disputes with local land developers, the purchasers of land and people building on the land.”

Kirit Joshi was a private advocate acting for various complainants including a Mr Mehta who had brought criminal proceedings against Patel, in relation to land grabbing scams. Joshi had appeared in 25 bail applications by Patel, all of which were refused, the court heard.

Joshi was stabbed to death at around 9pm on 28 April 2018, outside his office in Jamnagar. His brother, Ashok Joshi, who was in partnership with Kirit as an advocate, filed an FIR stating that after closing his office at 9pm he went downstairs and saw Kirit being assaulted by someone using a knife who continuously gave him blows to his chest. Kirit then fell on the road but the person continued to stab him after he fell as he lay bleeding profusely on the road and then another person came on a motorbike and the assailant got on the motorbike and both fled, Dobbin told the court. In the FIR Ashok stated that Patel was angry with Kirit over acting in prosecution against him and said his brother had told him time and again that Patel would attack him.

On route to hospital, Kirit said the people who attacked him “were the men of the accused," Dobbin said. Kirit died in hospital.

“The Killing of Kirit Joshi meant Patel could carry on extortion more than before as people were frightened,” Dobbin said.

Professor Purshottam Rajani, of Jamnagar Mahila College, was a broker for sales of parcels of land at Krishna Park in Jamnagar, Dobbin said. He had supported Mr Mehta in the criminal proceedings so Patel threatened to harm him, Dobbin said.

“Matters came to a head on 14 November 2019 when four men came to Professor Rajani’s house with firearms and fired at his car. This was part of an aborted plan by the accused to kill Professor Ranjani,” she said.

“Girish Der purchased a plot of land at Krishna Park. He acquired it in a deal brokered by Professor Ranjani. On 3rd July 2020 he was at the property he was buying with his son. Three men came, one produced a firearm, one had a hammer and one had a knife. There was a struggle, Der discharged his own weapon and the attackers fled. This was a plan to kill Der by Ranpariya,” she said.

The Pedhadia brothers were involved in the purchase of land at the site development and the elder brother was a friend of Kirit who had witnessed Kirit’s murder. Patel made various calls threatening one of the brothers, Jaisukh, and on 28 January 2021 Jaisukh was shot in the face by four people, the court heard.